“Now gather ’round, while I elucidate About what happens outside when it gets late. Around about midnight, the ghosts and banshees Get together for their nightly jamboree.
There’s ghosts with horns and saucer eyes, And some with fangs about this size. Some short and fat, some tall and thin, And some don’t even bother to wear their skin. I’m telling ya, brother, it’s a frightful sight, To see what goes on in the night.
When the ghosts have a midnight jamboree, They break it up with fiendish glee. Ghosts are bad, but the one that’s cursed Is the Headless Horseman, he’s the worst.
When he goes a-jogging cross the land, Holdin’ his noggin in his hand, Demons take one look and groan, And hit the road for parts unknown.
For there’s no ghost like a spook who’s spurned, They don’t like him, and he’s really burned. He swears to the longest day he’s dead, He’ll show them that he can get a head …”
Now I’m sure that many of you animation fans will recognize that lyric as coming from a song that was prominently featured in Walt Disney Productions’ October 1949 release, “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.” But — for all us baby boomers out there — we remember that song as coming from an entirely different source. A Disneyland long playing album entitled “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
Man, as a kid, I loved that LP. I think that I played that 33 1/3rd album so many times that I eventually wore the grooves right off the record. Not just because “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” featured this kick-ass version of Don Raye and Gene De Paul’s “Headless Horseman” song. But because this Disneyland recording was a masterful retelling of Washington Irving’s classic tale, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
Even now, I can picture myself as a kid. Putting that LP on the turntable, dropping the stylus down on the record … and letting “The Legend of Sleep Hollow” just carry me away to Tarrytown.
So imagine my surprise when one day — as I was driving to New Jersey and was about to cross the Tappan Zee bridge — I spy a highway sign that read “Tarrytown.” What?! You mean that Tarrytown is a real place?
An inviting welcome sign … until you realize where you are … Photo by Jeff Lange.
It surely is, my friends. And — this time of year — this usually quiet corner of the Hudson Valley comes alive with all sorts of seasonal festivities. As Sleepy Hollow Country (which is what New York’s tourism board likes to call this part of the state) celebrates “Legend Weekend.”
Now — being as big a fan of that Disneyland LP as I am — I just knew that I had to get down to Tarrytown last year and check out the area’s “Legend Weekend” festivities. Which is why — last October — I loaded Nancy and Jeff into the SUV and headed off for the Hudson Valley.
Now I won’t lie to you, folks. “Legend Weekend” is NOT a Halloween celebration on a par with Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights or the Haunt at Knotts Scary Farm. But what it IS is a perfectly charming way to spend a weekend in a particularly scenic section of New York State.
What makes “Legend Weekend” special — particularly for us “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” fans — is that most of the activities take place in and around the area where Washington Irving actually lived and wrote back in the 1800s. For example — on October 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st — you can tour Philipsburg Manor. Which — just for these four days — will be transformed into this eerie landscape lit only by candle lanterns.
And — as your guide leads your group through the darkness — ghosts, ghouls and pirates straight out of Hudson Valley folklore will suddenly loom out of the gloom and tell their scary tales. And — of course — the tour climaxes with an appearance by the Headless Horseman himself. Who comes roaring up out of the darkness on the back of his black steed.
The church where the Headless Horseman is believed to have started his ride. Photo by Jeff Lange.
I know, I know. That sounds kind of scary. But — truth be told — “Legend Weekend” is a very family friendly event. Throughout the day, there are games and crafts for the kids to do. Puppet shows to see. Storytellers to listen to. In fact, Hudson River historian and noted storyteller Jonathan Kruk will be on hand this coming weekend to give a dramatic reading of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
Now please be aware that — over the past few years — “Legend Weekend” has become a very popular event with Hudson Valley visitors as well as area residents. So — if you’re looking to get in on the fun this coming weekend — it might be wise to call ahead at (914) 631-8200, EXT 618 to find out if there are tickets still available.
That said, ticket prices for the “Legend Weekend” events are (by Disneyland standards, anyway) quite reasonable. Adult admission for the daytime events is $9, $8 for seniors and $5 for children (5-17). Admission prices for the evening events are $10 for grown-ups, $5 for kids under 17.
Of course — if you’d prefer to get your frights for free — you can always tour the creepy old cemetery that’s next to the old Dutch Church. Where — it’s said — that the Headless Horseman begins his infamous ride on Halloween night right at the stroke of midnight.
Sounds pretty cool, eh? Well, if you East Coast JHM readers would like to get in on the fun, then I suggest that you visit the Historic Hudson Valley web page. Where you’ll find lots of info on file about this year’s “Legend Weekend” activities.
“…Now he likes them little, he likes them big, Part in the middle, or a wig. Black or white or even red, The Headless Horseman needs a head,
With a hip-hip and a clippity-clop, He’s out lookin’ for a head to chop. So don’t stop to figure out a plan, You can’t reason with a headless man.”
You know what kills me? My own copy of that “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” Disneyland LP vanished into the mists ages ago. Which is why — for years now — I’ve been poking around used record stores, looking for another copy of that record to pop up. I also keep hoping that the Mouse will eventually start selling a CD version of this wonderful 1963 recording. But — to date — that hasn’t happened.
Which is why I’m now turning to my faithful JHM readers. Because I just know that at least one of you hardcore collectors has a copy of this particular recording squirreled away in your Disneyana collection.
So I’m hoping — if I ask nice — that I can get one of you kind souls to dub a copy of your “The Legend of Sleep Hollow” recording for me. So that I can — once more — be transported back to Tarrytown. And get that little piece of my childhood back.
So if you guys could just see your way clear to helping me out here … Man, what a Halloween treat that would be.
Let me know, okay?