Tarrytown 'Take The Train' Campaign Could Help Visitors Avoid Halloween Traffic Horrors

TARRYTOWN, NY — There is a haunted house on earth that is more terrifying than Halloween traffic in the Rivertowns. Fortunately, there is a "talisman of protection" that you can buy at any MTA kiosk.

Tarrytown is telling visitors to plan ahead for its annual Halloween Parade on Saturday, Oct. 24, with road closures, parking restrictions, and a push to use Metro-North instead of driving. The parade begins at 5 p.m. at Patriots Park and proceeds along Broadway and down Main Street.

The village's "Take the Train" campaign might make the big event much less haunting for all involved.

The parade is entering its 24th year under the guidance of the Tarrytown Recreation Department. The parade is a longtime local tradition and was named Westchester Magazine's "Best of Westchester: Best Parade" for eight consecutive years.

Tarrytown residents and visitors are expected along Broadway and Main Street for costumes, floats, and live music.

The Village Administrator's Office said the village is encouraging out-of-town visitors to consider taking the train from neighboring communities because of the parade's growing popularity.

"Avoid the traffic hassle, and check out a suite of seasonal offerings in one of the Hudson River Towns before or after the parade," village officials urge.

A shuttle will run parade viewers up the hill from the train station between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on parade day.

Village officials also said spectators will not be permitted inside Patriots Park for safety reasons. Organizers urge paradegoers to arrive early to find a viewing spot on Broadway or Main Street. There will be no event parking in the inner village.

Several road and parking restrictions are scheduled for parade day. On Broadway, no parking will be allowed from Patriots Park to Elizabeth Street starting at 2 p.m., and the road will be closed to all traffic from Main Street in Tarrytown to College Avenue in Sleepy Hollow from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Central Avenue, access will be limited to residents and village-operated shuttles from 2 p.m. until 4:45 p.m.

Main Street will have no parking starting at 1 p.m. It will be closed from Broadway to Baylis Court from 2 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and from Baylis Court to Depot Plaza from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. The east and west South Washington Street parking lots will close to vehicles from noon until 11 p.m. Vehicles may park in the garage in Lot No. 4, but the village says they may not be allowed to leave during parade hours through 11 p.m.

The village asked people not attending the parade to avoid the area. Train information is available through the Metro-North Hudson Line schedule.