PIZZA
After riding the Queensbound
G to the end of the line,
I had a one-stop transfer on the
7 train to Queensboro Plaza
where I planned on picking
up either an N or W in a ‘bing,
bang, boom’ style maneuver.
Despite a 15 minute delay
Keep Halloween healthy
for the N train, I still reached
sLICe before the sun set.
sLICe, Queens, 6:15 pm
The moment we’ve all
greatly anticipated had arrived
COURIER L 32 IFE, OCT. 30-NOV. 5, 2020
with the bite of a succulent
Margherita slice in a
spacious and quiet backyard
seating area in Queens.
That slice was rich in
cheese, sauce, and the taste
BROOKLYN
of victory that came with conquering
the 5 Boro Pizza Challenge
in under seven hours.
Although that time was
just shy of the contest’s winner,
Brian Pinkston who had
clocked in minutes before 2:30
pm, there was still a lot to feel
optimistic about – especially
seeing small businesses and
eateries fi ghting the good fi ght
and being greatly patronized
in combat of COVID-19.
Despite connotations, it is
very possible to fl exibly move
throughout New York City
through its public transit system;
competing in the 5 Boro
Pizza Challenge also opens
one’s eyes to how effi cient
their own legs can be as well.
Even while wearing a mask,
walking over seven miles
throughout the day in between
pizzerias and transit junction
proved the most expedient
manner of travel on the day
and certainly helped to keep an
appetite between slices.
Being out and about during
the 5 Boro Pizza Challenge
also served to be a tangible reminder
that New York City is
alive, well, and will recover
from this mess of a year one
slice at a time.
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
Like nearly every annual
tradition, Halloween is going to
look very different in Brooklyn
this year due to the COVID-19
pandemic. Mayor Bill de Blasio
has advised New Yorkers
to limit themselves to small
outdoor activities this Oct. 31,
while wearing face coverings
and staying socially distant.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention has
issued guidelines for staying
safe during the spooky season,
such as wearing a proper
cloth face covering (not just a
costume mask), opting for lowrisk
activities like pumpkin
carving or scavenger hunts,
and avoiding door-to-door
trick-or-treating and other
close-contact events.
Popular annual blowouts
like the Park Slope Halloween
Parade have been called off
to avoid crowds from gathering
and potentially spreading
the virus — but, there are still
some fun events happening!
Window Pumpkin Hunt!
Similarly to the rainbow
drawings that started popping
up in windows during the pandemic,
you can now go on the
hunt for Halloween-themed
pumpkin drawings all around
Brooklyn. Cobble Hill mom
Amanda Nichols launched the
Halloween Pumpkin Hunt for
the borough’s young and old to
draw their own pumpkins to
hang in the window and add
their location to a map. Come
Oct. 31, you can plan a route
for the socially-distanced scavenger
hunt for pictures in all
corners of Kings County and
tag photos of with #halloweenpumpkinhunt
on Instagram!
Halloween Pumpkin Hunt
at various locations and selfguided,
www.halloweenpumpkinhunt.
com Oct 31. Free.
Honoring the dead
Arguably one of the spookiest
places in the borough, the
Green-Wood Cemetery is hosting
a week-long celebration
of the centuries-old Mexican
tradition known as El Día de
Los Muertos (The Day of the
Dead). The graveyard’s keepers
have installed a large-scale
altar by artist Scherezade
García in the cemetery’s Historic
Chapel, and visitors are
encouraged to bring personal
offerings, including fl owers,
photographs, and notes.
Día de Los Muertos at the
Green-Wood Cemetery, 500 25th
St. at Fifth Avenue in Greenwood
Heights, www.greenwood.
com, (718) 768–7300. Oct.
23–Nov. 1, 10 am–4 pm. Free.
BAMboo!
Brooklyn Academy of Music
is hosting a virtual family
friendly Halloween “block
party” aptly called BAMboo!
The spooky afternoon shindig
includes tricks and treats,
a magic show, professional
pumpkin carving, story time
and, of course, a dance party.
BAMboo! At Brooklyn Academy
of Music virtual, RSVP at
www.bam.org/bamboo2020-
rsvp Oct. 31, 2-4 pm. Free.
Thriller
Several performances of
Michael Jackson’s haunting
1980s hit “Thriller” will take
over Albee Square and nearby
spots in and around Downtown
Brooklyn Saturday afternoon
with local dance company
Jamel Gaines’ Creative
Outlet. Hosted by the Downtown
Brooklyn Partnership,
the fi nal show at Albee Square
at 3:45 pm will allow you to
show off your best mask in a
contest (both Halloween and
COVID face coverings).
“Thriller” www.downtownbrooklyn.
com Oct. 31. Free.
Dance schedule and locations:
2:30 pm The Plaza at
300 Ashland, 2:50 pm Albee
Square, 3:00 pm City Point, 3:15
pm Albee Square, 3:30 pm Albee
Square, 3:45 pm Albee Square
Time in!
Dumbo’s Time Out Market
will host a family-friendly Halloween
themed event with socially
distant seatings throughout
the day. Dress up for photo
ops and get a bag of responsibly
packed candy along with a
$5 credit to use at the market
with each timed ticket.
Halloween at Time Out Market
New York 55 Water St., between
Dock and Main streets in
Dumbo, www.timeoutmarket.
com/newyork/, (917) 810-4855
Oct. 31. Timed tickets with entry
between 10 am–4 pm. $5.
Parade and party
Several neighborhood
groups have organized a children’s
Halloween parade and
party in Greenpoint for local
monsters and princesses. The
pint-sized parade starts around
noon at the Brooklyn Expo
Center and loops around West
Street and Greenpoint Avenue.
A Spooktacular Party will
start at 10 am and run through
4 pm with timed entries, with
arts and crafts, carnival games,
dancing games, live music,
a haunted trail, an a bouncy
house for the little ones.
Greenpoint Children’s Halloween
Parade and Party
Brooklyn Expo Center at 72
Noble St., between West and
Franklin streets in Greenpoint,
www.instagram.com/townsquarebk.
Oct. 31. Parade at
noon. Free. Timed tickets for
the party, 10 am–4 pm. $20 per
child in advance, $30 at the
door.
Altogether spooky
What’s happening in Brooklyn this Halloween
Continued from page 31
DEATH WISHES: An altar by artist Scherezade García is on display at
Green-Wood Cemetery’s Historic Chapel to honor El Día de Los Muertos.
Penelope Duus
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
Halloween is upon us
and there are some key ways
to make sure you and
yours can enjoy a
day full of of monsters
and ghouls
while limiting
the spread of
COVID-19, according
to Dr.
Ethan S. Wiener,
division
chief, pediatric
emergency medicine
at New York University Langone
Health—Cobble Hill.
The basics: First and
foremost, the health professional
says that the spooky
season calls for the same
three main precautions government
offi cials have been
repeating for a while: wearing
a mask, maintaining a
minimum of six feet social
distance, and keeping your
hands clean with soap and
water or hand sanitizer.
Try to stay in or
around your home: Preferably,
Kings County kids
should enjoy a night
of horrors within
their own bubble
of people
they live with,
whether that
be through
activities like
pumpkin carving,
movies and
music, decorating
one’s home, or going on a
scavenger hunt for treats.
“Get some of that candy,
hide it around your apartment
or house, or safe locations
in the neighborhood
for kids to fi nd,” said Dr.
Wiener. “It’s a safe way to
providing some level of this
experience while maintaining
safety and distance.”
For more tips, visit BrooklynPaper.
com.
/www.downtown-brooklyn.com
/www.halloweenpump-kinhunt.com
/www.halloweenpump-kinhunt.com
/www.green-wood.com
/www.green-wood.com
/www.green-wood.com
/bamboo2020-rsvp
/bamboo2020-rsvp
/www.halloweenpump-kinhunt.com
/www.downtown-brooklyn.com
/www.downtown-brooklyn.com
/www.timeoutmarket
/town-squarebk.Oct
/town-squarebk.Oct
/town-squarebk.Oct
/bamboo2020-
/www.timeoutmarket