What to Do This Weekend: October 7-9, 2016

Well, it’s happened. Fall is here, and there’s nothing we can do to stop the foreboding winter (which, according to the Farmers’ Almanac, is set to be “downright frigid”). But we can all take a moment to enjoy the current season and the multitude of fall events our county puts together. From pumpkins aglow to funk legends you didn’t realize you know, we bring you a handful few of this weekend’s best.

Can’t Wait for Halloween?

You can get a jumpstart on the holiday’s frightening festivities this Saturday and Sunday with two of the county’s most celebrated Halloween-related events, Croton-on-Hudson’s The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze and Horseman’s Hollow at Philipsburg Manor. But be warned: They both tend to sell out, although the hustle for tickets is definitely worth it. The Blaze is bringing its A-game this year with a walkable “Pumpkin Zee Bridge,” crafted from nearly 1,000 pumpkins, alongside their familiar “Jurassic Park” display of life-sized T-Rexes, triceratops, and even a flying pterodactyl. If you and your friends would rather be scared out of your gourds than stare at them, Horseman’s Hollow combines the thrill of traversing dark trails with the work of film-caliber makeup artists, elevating The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to a genuinely shocking new level. It’s recommended for kids 10 and up, but honestly, even adults might find themselves reluctant to enter the haunted mayhem.

Fall Funk

Despite having played the part of a backing studio band for distinguished artists like Paul McCartney and Patti Labelle, among others, The Funky METERS are legends in their own right. And they will encapsulate their impressive 40-plus year history at Port Chester’s The Capitol Theatre this Saturday night before hitting hip city spot Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday. You’ve probably heard the New Orleans natives’ blend of funk and blues without realizing it. Hip-hop visionaries from Run D.M.C. to Heavy D have sprinkled the METERS’ sound throughout their tracks, and bassist George Porter Jr. and keyboardist/singer Art Neville have shared a stage alongside The Rolling Stones. When a band this influential comes to town, missing out is not an option.

Make Tonight a Debate Night

After witnessing the, suffice to say, bewildering performance at the last presidential debate, perhaps it’s appropriate to take this Sunday’s political spar one beer at a time. Which will be extremely possible (and encouraged) at the Alamo Drafthouse’s screening on October 9. The town-hall style face-off, during which half of the questions will be posed directly by citizen attendees, is set to feature CNN’s Anderson Cooper and ABC’s Martha Raddatz as moderators. You could watch from the political safety of your own home, but who wouldn’t want to experience the juiciness of Trump’s rhetoric while biting into a “Royale with Cheese”?

Frighteningly Funny

October is typically reserved for screams, but with New York-native comedian Bobby Collins hitting Tarrytown Music Hall Friday night, laughter is more likely. The man who was once Rosie O’Donnell’s choice replacement for hosting VH1’s Stand-Up Spotlight (in addition to a former VP of sales at Calvin Klein) is known for tapping into his acute observations of everyday life for a live audience, which means he will most likely tear into Westchester and the New York area for tomorrow’s audience. There are still tickets left to catch this veteran standup, so what are you sitting down for?