October 31 falls on a Saturday this year, yet the biggest kids' event in Dobbs Ferry happens the afternoon before. The Dobbs Ferry Public Library has set Trick or Treat at the Library for Friday, October 30, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The library lists it as part of the village's Downtown Trick-or-Treating. The village's Halloween calendar runs about two weeks this year, from October 18 to November 1, and most of it is hosted by three groups: the library, the Village Recreation Department and HudCo, the coworking and event space at 145 Palisade Street.
Three places opened this summer, and they're close to that calendar. One is on the same street as the window painting, one is inside the building hosting the costume ball, and one is a new Italian kitchen in a space many longtime residents will recognize. Below is the season in date order, with those stops worked in where they fit.
The calendar at a glance
| Date | Event | Host | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Oct. 18, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | Wickers Creek Market | Wickers Creek Market | Waterfront Park, 11 Station Plaza |
| Wed., Oct. 21, 7–8:30 p.m. | Irin Carmon: Unbearable author Q&A | HudCo | 145 Palisade St. |
| Oct. 22–24 | Halloween Window Painting | Village Recreation | Storefronts on Cedar and Main |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. | Grave Rave: A HudCo Halloween Ball | HudCo | 145 Palisade St., Suite 200 |
| Thu., Oct. 29, 6:30–9:30 p.m. | Spooky-author reading and Q&A | Dobbs Ferry Public Library | Library |
| Fri., Oct. 30, 4–6 p.m. | Trick or Treat at the Library | Dobbs Ferry Public Library | Library, as part of downtown trick-or-treating |
| Sun., Nov. 1, noon–2 p.m. | Día de los Muertos celebration | Dobbs Ferry Public Library | Library |
| Date TBA | Headless Horseman Bike Ride | Village Recreation | Waterfront Park |
The Village has posted an updated 2026 Halloween Happenings notice. It says details and registration for each event "will be sent out shortly," so that page is the one to check as dates get filled in.
Opening weekend at the waterfront
Before anyone carves a pumpkin, the season starts at the river. The Wickers Creek Market lists Sunday, October 18, on its 2026 schedule, running 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park. Organizers give 11 Station Plaza as the GPS address. Its event listing promises more than 50 vintage and antique vendors, food and live music, and admission is free. This is a vintage and antiques market, not a produce market. If you're looking for old frames, serving pieces or a mantel clock to set the tone for the next two weeks, this is the day.
Waterfront Park also hosts the season's newest event, and it's the one with the least information so far. The Recreation Department has announced Dobbs Ferry's 1st Annual Headless Horseman Bike Ride. It describes a nighttime ride through Waterfront Park for all ages. Riders are invited to come in costume and decorate their helmets with a glowing jack-o'-lantern. Registration opened October 5 through the Village's activity portal, but the date, start time and meeting spot haven't been posted in a readable form yet. If you have a young rider who wants to go, register now and watch for the details.
Midweek at HudCo, with coffee in the building
HudCo is easy to file away as a coworking office. Its own site describes it as a place for work, gatherings and private parties, and this October it's one of the busiest event hosts in the village.
On Wednesday, October 21, HudCo hosts Irin Carmon: Unbearable, a Q&A with the Author from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $30. It isn't a Halloween event, but it's on the calendar during the busiest stretch of the month, so it's worth planning around.
The first new spot is in the same building. Eyes Closed Coffee is HudCo's in-house coffee residency, run by Carla Sanders, according to a HudCo profile of Sanders published in August. The Journal News included the kiosk in a roundup of new Westchester coffee shops. Its photos, dated August 19, call out the EC Egg Cream, a caffeinated version of the classic. If you're arriving for an evening program, check the kiosk's hours with HudCo first. Sources give the coffee program, not a nighttime schedule.
Cedar and Main get decorated
From October 22 through October 24, the Recreation Department's Halloween Window Painting takes over downtown storefront windows along Cedar and Main Streets, according to the Village's 2026 program flyer. Registered participants paint festive designs, and the Village describes the windows as something "for the community to enjoy throughout the season." Because the windows stay up after painting ends, the downtown trick-or-treat route on October 30 will already be decorated.
The second summer opening is right on that route. DrySpace Beverage opened July 17 at 37 Cedar Street, according to the Journal News gallery of eateries that opened in summer 2026. It's a non-alcoholic bottle shop and tasting room. DrySpace's site lists NA beers, wines, spirits, mocktails and mixers. If you're hosting a Halloween gathering where some guests aren't drinking, this is a downtown stop for something beyond seltzer.
Saturday night: the Grave Rave
The weekend the windows are finished, HudCo hosts the season's main event for adults. Grave Rave: A HudCo Halloween Ball is listed on the Dobbs Ferry Patch community calendar for Saturday, October 24, at 7:30 p.m. at 145 Palisade Street, Suite 200. Coming a week before Halloween, it gives adults a costume night that doesn't compete with taking kids around on the 30th or with Halloween itself on Saturday the 31st.
Dinner between events
The third opening fits in at any point on this calendar. Rosie Bella's Italian Kitchen opened July 20 at 1 Southfield Avenue, in the space that was Scaramella's for years. In its exclusive preview, the Journal News reported that owner Johnnie Greco renovated the space top to bottom. It now has an open kitchen, an expanded bar with more counter seating, new lighting and flooring, and cushioned banquettes. The same article quoted Greco on the challenge of replacing a longstanding Italian restaurant with another one. If you went to Scaramella's for years, a dinner before a library program or after the market is a good chance to see what the new owners did with the room.
The library closes out the season
The last stretch of the calendar mostly belongs to the Dobbs Ferry Public Library, and it covers three different audiences in four days.
- Thursday, October 29, 6:30–9:30 p.m. The library hosts a spooky-author reading and Q&A with Robert P. Ottone, Luis Paredes, Meg Ripley and Lindsay Lovise.
- Friday, October 30, 4:00–6:00 p.m. Trick or Treat at the Library is open to all ages, with candy, prizes and crafts. The library notes the program is supported by the Friends of the Dobbs Ferry Library.
- Sunday, November 1, noon–2:00 p.m. The all-ages Día de los Muertos celebration has a community ofrenda, a performance by Grupo Folklorica Kaukalli, face painting and crafts.
The Friday afternoon timing is the practical detail for families. Because downtown trick-or-treating lands on the 30th, you can do the decorated windows and the library on Friday after school and keep Saturday open for your own street or a party.
What's still unconfirmed
A few things that might be on your list haven't been confirmed for 2026. The Village's only readable farmers market listing is a 2018 page. That makes the Wickers Creek Market the outdoor market on this year's calendar. The Village also ran its Friday night River Jam concert series this fall, starting September 18. Check the Village news page before assuming any more dates. As for the Horseman ride, the Recreation Department's own notice is the place to watch.
Painted windows on Cedar and a downtown trick-or-treat afternoon are a good reminder of what makes the village feel like home. If walking your own block this month has you wondering what your house would be worth on today's market, Wendy Holt offers a complimentary home valuation, with no pressure and on your schedule. Request one whenever the candy bowl is empty.
