Sep 17th, 2026 - The Central Park Conservancy has canceled this year's Pumpkin Flotilla at the Harlem Meer, ending a run of more than 30 years for the free Halloween event. Thousands of people wanted to attend, and the Conservancy says that was more than the event's present setup could safely hold.
In past years, attendees dropped off carved pumpkins, which organizers wired with waterproof LEDs and mounted on floats to drift across the meer. There was also storytelling, magic shows, music, crafts, and costume parades.
Nothing is scheduled to fill the gap this fall. The Conservancy is reportedly looking into a new future Halloween event that can fit larger crowds.
Read more from the Time Out New York article.