Hicks Nurseries Fall Festival on Long Island

Sept. 12 – Nov. 1, 2026

A family tradition with more to experience than ever before!

FREE Parking  |  FREE Admission  |  Tons of FREE Family Fun Both Indoors and Outdoors

Looking for the perfect fall family day on Long Island? The 51st annual Hicks Nurseries Fall Festival is back with more to see, do, taste and experience than ever before, all in the heart of Nassau County!

A Long Island fall tradition for generations, our annual Fall Festival brings together family activities, Halloween fun, seasonal shopping with a huge selection of fall flowering plants, pumpkins, seasonal vegetables, and holiday decorations, fall food favorites and special events during the course of the festival.

Explore our NEW Fall Festival Market, our NEW Skeleton Estate Garden (indoors), meet Otto the Ghost, enjoy our NEW animated Halloween walkthrough story, play lawn games, enjoy live music on select Sundays and stroll through thousands of pumpkins, mums and festive fall displays for the best photo ops – all for free!

Upgrade the Fun with a Fall Festival Wristband

A woman and a girl holding pumpkins.
A Halloween-themed hay maze features a large inflatable pumpkin-headed scarecrow with a black hat and red arms, surrounded by hay bales and spooky decorations. Trees and a green fence are visible in the background.
Four young children and an adult decorate pumpkins with paper shapes at a table covered in a purple cloth, enjoying a festive outdoor activity. The kids appear focused and excited.

All-Access Children’s Wristband includes:

  • Unlimited entry to the hay maze for the day
  • Spooky “nightlight” craft for a glowing Halloween NEW!
  • Potted mum plant craft to let their creativity bloom!
  • Mystic pumpkin craft because everyone loves a pumpkin!

All four experiences. One wristband. One fun-filled fall day.

$25 for Advantage Members, in-store or online. Purchasing online automatically enrolls you in our program.

$30 for non-members in-store. Sign up at the register to enjoy the discount.

Wristband Activities Available Weekends and School Holidays* Sept, 12 – Nov. 1, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Best for children ages 3+ up  |  No refunds after 11/1/2026 | *Yom Kippur, 9/21 and Columbus Day, 10/12.

BUY ONLINE NOW

Hay Maze Only Ticket

$8 per person unlimited access (ages 2 and under free.)

Parents and accompanying adults need a hay maze ticket only if they wish to enter the hay maze with their child.

Available Every Day, Seven Days a Week, Sept, 12 – Nov. 1, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

BUY ONLINE NOW

 

SAVE TIME, BUY WRISTBANDS & HAY MAZE TICKETS ONLINE!

Get your weekend all-access wristbands and individual hay maze tickets to the Fall Festival in advance. No need to choose a date. Buy online, at least 1-2 days in advance of your visit, and pick up in store at customer service when you are ready.

Outdoor activities are weather permitting. In case of inclement weather, please call us to confirm 516-334-0066. However, there are plenty of activities to do indoors as well if the rain interfers with your outdoor plans!

 

Come Hungry!

A woman and two children prepare corn on the cob at an outdoor market table covered with spices and toppings, while a man stands nearby. Other people and pumpkins can be seen in the background.
A wicker basket filled with green apples sits on a wooden table, surrounded by crates of red and yellow apples in the background.
Three young girls stand outdoors holding ears of corn, smiling and giving thumbs up. People and green shopping carts are in the background, with a fall festival atmosphere and trees visible.

Fall tastes better at Hicks Nurseries! The Fall Festival wouldn’t be complete without the flavors you wait for all year.

Indoor Fall Market

Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Stock up on cider donuts, fudge-dipped donuts, homemade pies, New York State apples, Hicks famous fudge, kettle corn, character cookies, apple cider and more.

Hicks Food Truck

Weekends & holidays*, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Serving freshly made chicken tenders, hot dogs, French fries and beverages.

Famous Fresh-Roasted Corn

Weekends & holidays*, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Don’t leave without having one of our Fall Festival favorites – fresh, hot roasted, delicious local corn. It’s the best on Long Island!

*Yom Kippur, 9/21 and Columbus Day, 10/12.

NEW: Explore the Fall Festival Shops

A mannequin wears a Witches Brew Coffee House shirt. Halloween decorations, including witch hats, skeletons, and pumpkins, are displayed on a striped tablecloth in a festive shop setup.
Halloween-themed ceramic dishes, including ghost, pumpkin, skeleton, and bat shapes, are displayed on a wooden table with mummy candle holders and a witch decoration in the background.
Halloween display with pumpkins, a black cat figurine wearing a witch hat, a Trick or Treat sign, and a large vase with dark flowers on a shelf. The scene is festive and decorated for Halloween.

Step inside our all-new Fall Festival Market, where a collection of specialty shops brings together fall decorating, Halloween fun, unusual plants, children’s gifts and seasonal favorites – all in one festive destination.

Wander from shop to shop and see what you discover!

Harvest Moon Market

Everything you love about decorating for fall.

Bring the colors and warmth of autumn home with seasonal décor and special finds inspired by the harvest season.

Boo-tique

Halloween lives here.

A fun and spirited collection of Halloween décor, apparel and seasonal finds to help you make you and your home a little more boo-tiful.

Botanical Curiosities

For plant lovers who like things a little strange.

Inspired by the collectors and conservatories of another era, this collection celebrates nature’s most unusual forms. Discover fascinating, unusual and spooky plants, including carnivorous favorites, that blur the line between science and imagination. 

Toy Shoppe

A little something for our youngest visitors.

Explore a fun assortment of toys, gifts and surprises for kids.

All Things That are FREE

Children and adults play mini golf outdoors on a sunny day, with a windmill obstacle and trees in the background. A child in the foreground is about to hit a golf ball.
A family of four smiles while posing in front of large inflatable jack-o’-lanterns at a pumpkin patch. The parents sit with their two young daughters, surrounded by autumn decorations and hay.
People play a bean bag toss game at an outdoor fall festival, with colorful bunting overhead, a Fall Festival banner, and families watching and participating under sunny skies. Trees and a tent are in the background.

Lawn Games

Challenge the family to fun activities including:

  • Corn Hole
  • Scarecrow Ring Toss
  • Connect 4
  • Bowling
  • Tic Tac Toe
  • 3-Hole Mini Golf

Meet & Take Pictures with Otto the Ghost

INDOORS

A group of kids hugging a person in a garment.
A group of six people, including three adults and three children, pose and smile with a person in a ghost costume at a fall-themed event. Decorations and a large inflatable cat are visible in the background.
A smiling child in a purple witch costume hugs a large person in a happy ghost costume at a garden center, surrounded by plants and flowers on display tables.

Weekends and Holidays only Sept 12 – Nov. 1 (Including Yom Kippur, 9/21 and Columbus Day, 10/12)
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 4 p.m.

Since the 1970s, Otto the Ghost has been the heart and soul of our Fall Festival. Generations of Long Islanders have grown up visiting Otto each year. Beloved by kids and adults alike, this friendly ghost has become more than just a mascot, he’s a cherished family tradition capturing the “spirit” of the season.

And don’t forget all the amazing fall photo opportunities throughout Hicks, including backdrops of gorgeous fall color and our popular pumpkin patch displays.

Animated Halloween Walkthrough Experience

INDOORS

A spooky, winged gargoyle with glowing red eyes sits behind a disco ball and candles, surrounded by dark fabrics, fake cobwebs, and eerie purple lighting.
Two scarecrows with banjos sit among pumpkins, autumn leaves, and a white dog statue. Bright orange pumpkins and a carved jack-o’-lantern add to the festive fall scene.
A parent holds a child while viewing a festive Halloween display with witches, ghosts, pumpkins, and a snowman figure, all surrounded by colorful decorations and autumn leaves. Another child stands nearby.

Daily Sept. 12 – Nov. 1 
8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Our animated children’s Halloween story is a walkthrough experience that has been delighting kids for decades! A new story every year features Otto the Ghost and emphasizes the value of friendship and being of service to others.

Please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to our annual Long Island Cares food drive. Drop-off at the end of the animated children’s story journey. “Let kids be kids instead of being hungry.” Learn more at licares.org

NEW: The Skeleton Estate Garden

INDOORS

A skeleton wearing a black sunhat sits in a coffin-shaped garden planter, surrounded by flowers and lush greenery in a backyard decorated for Halloween.
A small, crooked green shed with a black cat decoration and fake spiderweb sits in a garden filled with colorful flowers and tall grasses.
Two skeletons dressed in scarves and hats relax on patio chairs by pumpkins, surrounded by autumn plants and a cozy garden setting.

A new garden has emerged at Hicks Nurseries this fall – and it seems a skeleton family has already moved in!

Take a walk through Skelton Estate, an indoor garden filled with beautiful fall plants and seasonal blooms, playful Halloween décor and a few unexpected residents. This family-friendly display blends garden inspiration with Halloween fun, offering plenty to see and discover around every corner. See what – or who – you discover along the way.

Skeleton Estate is open daily throughout the Fall Festival.

PLUS: Special Events & Entertainment

There’s something new every weekend at the Fall Festival to enjoy: live music, demonstrations, themed weekends, Otto’s Halloween Party and more – ALL FREE.

Calendar poster for a Fall Festival with event dates, descriptions, and illustrations of pumpkins, leaves, and people in costumes. Events include music, parades, balloon fun, and a Halloween party.

Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off

Four people in matching pumpkin-themed shirts pose and smile around a huge, pale orange pumpkin on a pallet. One person holds a sign that reads “1st 1931.” A banner with a green truck and pumpkin logo is in the background.
A young girl with brown hair in a ponytail holds a pumpkin, standing outdoors by a wooden table. Behind her are green plants, yellow flowers, and a sign with a green truck and pumpkin.
A man and woman stand next to a massive orange pumpkin on a wooden pallet. The man holds a sign reading 854 and they are outdoors with plants and a banner in the background.

Date: Sunday, October 4  Rain or Shine
Entries accepted 10 am – 10:45 am; Judging begins promptly at 11 am.

Watch as local pumpkin growers compete for prizes. Everyone who has grown a pumpkin, no matter what its size – is encouraged to bring it to the competition and show off their growing skills. Alongside prizes for the three heaviest pumpkins, we’ll recognize the ‘Rookie of the Year’ and the ‘Best Pumpkin Grown by a Child’ (under 15). Every participating child will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Weigh-Off Prizes:

  • 1st place: $500
  • 2nd place: $300
  • 3rd place: $200
  • Rookie of the Year: $100
  • Best Pumpkin Grown by a Child: $50 (ages 15 years old and younger)

Please note: Contestants who need help unloading their pumpkins must arrive at the nursery no later than 10am.

Pet Parade & Costume Competition

A smiling dog in a tuxedo and top hat sits in the center of a Monopoly board, with two dice and game pieces around it, outdoors on a brick pavement.
A woman and her dog are dressed up for Halloween as the Paws and Claws game with a life sized Otto the Ghost at Hicks Nurseries Annual Pet Parade
Two adults dressed as pilots and a dog in a pilot outfit pose with a red toy airplane. The man holds an orange ribbon. People and dogs in costumes are in the background at an outdoor event.

Date: Wednesday, October 14
Registration begins at 4:00pm
Parade starts at 5 p.m.
$600+ in prizes

Our annual pet parade is back! Bring your pets in their best Halloween costume to Hicks Nurseries for our much anticipated Pet Parade and Costume Competition! There are six categories of costumes with six chances of winning a Hicks Nurseries Gift card plus, every pet gets a participation ribbon! Also, meet and take pics with Otto the Ghost.

 

New Categories & Prizes:

  • BEST OVERALL: Prize: $150 gift card. Crowned the ultimate Howl-o-ween champion, this pet steals the show with style, spirit, and tail-wagging charm.
  • BEST GROUP: Prize: $100 gift card. A pack that shines together! This award goes to the most paw-some squad, family, or crew in costume. 
  • MOST ORIGINAL: Prize: $100 gift card.  A bone-a-fide-original! This winner wows with creativity, imagination, and one-of-a-kind flair. 
  • FUNNIEST: Prize: $100 gift card. For the pet that’s paw-sitively hilarious! This award celebrates costumes guaranteed to make the crowd howl with laughter. 
  • BEST CHILD & PET: Prize: $100 gift card. A paw-fect pair! This dynamic duo captures hearts with matching looks and unbeatable cuteness. 
  • HONORABLE MENTION: Prize: $50 gift card. Because there are so many great costumes that deserve recognition!

 

Please help support pets by bringing pet food, new toys, cat litter, leashes and other items to donate to Long Island Cares for pets in need. Learn more about Long Island Cares Baxter’s Pet Pantry.

Please note: Hicks Nurseries reserves the right to use photos of all the participants taken during the event.

Fall Plants & Decorations

Close-up of a bright orange pumpkin with a green stem, showing its textured surface. Another pumpkin is partially visible in the background, with a soft, out-of-focus green backdrop.
Purple flowers with vibrant yellow centers bloom in a lush cluster against a backdrop of green leaves. The petals are long and narrow, radiating outward, creating a striking contrast with the rich green foliage.
fall at hicks, pumpkins, mums

Welcome fall into your home and garden with a mosaic of fall flowering plants, chrysanthemums, cabbage, pumpkins, seasonal vegetables, and holiday decorations. 

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