In 1904, Queen Titania used supernatural forces to enchant Albany Mayor Charles H. Gaus and assert her dominion over the city during the All-Hallow E’en Carnival, an extravagant event designed by Wilbur Webster Judd of the Press Knickerbocker Express to transform Albany into a premier tourist attraction.
However, the spell proved to be too powerful. After the overwhelming success of the inaugural year, the city decided to expand the carnival even further in 1905. This led to an influx of attendees and a series of chaotic incidents. The city was inundated with unruly crowds, and law enforcement struggled to maintain order. Some festival-goers carried pepper-covered feather dusters, a precursor to modern-day pepper spray, while others resorted to throwing bricks and engaging in fights. Queen Titania even received poisoned chocolates for Christmas, but miraculously survived. Ultimately, after just two years, the spell was broken.
Now, nearly 120 years later, Albany is resurrecting the All-Hallow E’en Carnival as the monthlong All-Hallow E’en Festival.
When the city announced the allocation of American Rescue Plan funds for cultural and tourism-driven recovery, Maeve McEneny-Johnson, community engagement manager for Discover Albany and a passionate historian who leads ghost tours in the city, saw an opportunity to revive the historic carnival and establish Albany as a Halloween destination comparable to Sleepy Hollow and Salem, Massachusetts.
Despite concerns raised by her colleagues about the feasibility of such an ambitious undertaking, McEneny-Johnson confidently asserted, “Actually, we already do it.” Albany possessed all the necessary ingredients for a captivating festival, including events like the Hounds of Halloween costume dog parade, the Trick or Trot Pumpkin Run 5K, and citywide ghost and true crime-themed walking tours. The key was to consolidate these elements under a modernized framework, creating a unified experience.
Expanding the carnival from a single day to a monthlong celebration was one of the significant changes implemented. This strategic decision aimed to address the challenges faced by the 1905 carnival, preventing a sudden influx of 100,000 people in a single day from overwhelming the city. Furthermore, it ensured that existing events would not be overshadowed.
The All-Hallow E’en Festival boasts over 100 events that capture the essence of Halloween. These activities include family-friendly outings, a busker program with Nippertown, appearances by the original Eddie Munster, cider-fueled tarot readings, pumpkin carving, and ghostly tours exploring local history, hosted by organizations such as Capital Repertory Theatre, the Empire State Plaza Visitors Center, and the Historic Albany Foundation. A comprehensive schedule can be found online.
Pam Howard, director of the Historic Albany Foundation, acknowledged the popularity of true crime entertainment and emphasized the opportunity to leverage Albany’s rich catalog of salacious stories, murders, and intriguing history. By showcasing the city’s architecture alongside its dark past, the festival aims to captivate visitors, as Howard explains, “It’s a perfect combination for us.”
The All-Hallow E’en Festival was officially launched on October 3 through a news conference featuring Discover Albany, partnering organizations, government officials, and a symbolic gesture paying homage to Queen Titania: chocolates filled with slime green buttercream. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan emphasized the importance of coming together as a community and celebrating the city’s diversity, beauty, and art.
Similar to the original carnival, the festivities will be overseen by a Halloween Queen. However, McEneny-Johnson recognized the need to modernize the coronation process, ensuring inclusivity and representation. In partnership with the LGBTQ and BIPOC social service group In Our Own Voices, the queen will be crowned during the first-ever Halloween House Ball. Held at the Albany Hilton, this event will feature competitive voguing, lip sync battles, runway walks, and extravagant costumes. The queen will serve as an ambassador for In Our Own Voices, promoting the organization’s health services and commitment to serving the region’s queer communities of color.
Tandra LaGrone, CEO of In Our Own Voices, spoke about the significance of Halloween for the LGBTQI+ community, noting that it has historically provided an opportunity for individuals to express their true selves. LaGrone said, “It has traditionally been the one time of year that people could go outside their homes … and truly be themselves and dress in the way that matched their gender.”
The Halloween House Ball, as LaGrone emphasized, is not your typical fairytale affair. It celebrates the vibrant ballroom culture within the LGBTQ+ community, featuring cash prize competitions in various themed categories such as voguing, lip syncing, and runway walking. Attendees are encouraged to go all-out with their costumes.
Art played an important role in the original All-Hallow E’en Carnival, with businesses decorating their windows and the streets adorned with spooky decorations. For the modern-day version, Discover Albany collaborated with the Albany Center Gallery, known for its Capital Walls public art program. Under the guidance of Tony Iadicicco, the executive director of the gallery, 11 artists were selected to transform storefronts and empty spaces into a walkable outdoor gallery showcasing the theme of “Fall-bany.” These imaginative displays include glittery cartoon-eyed zombie cookies and eerie sculptural shadow boxes along Maiden Lane, North Pearl Street, and Quackenbush Square. In addition to self-guided explorations, curated walks are scheduled throughout the month.
Iadicicco highlighted the intention behind the art installations, stating, “It’s giving artists the opportunity and platform to create, to inspire and to bring in this history.”
McEneny-Johnson firmly believes that Albany’s deep-rooted connection to Halloween makes it the perfect destination for Halloween enthusiasts. From infamous murderers in the city’s past to numerous ghost sightings and spiritual encounters, Albany’s peculiar history continues to fuel its love for the holiday.
Albany, she asserted, just can’t resist embracing Halloween.
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