The Library After Hours: Halloween Masquerade

Take your best literary look from the page to the stage at the annual Halloween Library After Hours! Join us for a costume parade judged by the one and only Tim Gunn, frightful films, drinks, dancing, a display of the spookiest items from Library’s vast collections, and more, all at the city’s most cerebral happy hour. 

Reserve your ticket now for $15 and get guaranteed entry from 7—8PM and 10% off at the bar and the Library Shop during the event! 

Featuring:

• Literary costume parade judged by Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn, Gothamist's Editorial Director Jen Carlson, and Gwen Glazer and Frank Collerius, hosts of the New York Public Library’s podcast The Librarian Is In! (see rules for details)


• A one-night-only collections display of some of the Library’s spookiest, scariest, and most ghoulish photographs, prints, and rare books


• Curated selection of haunting 16mm films pulled from our archives


• Arts & Crafts table: Create skeleton paper dolls and color Halloween-inspired images from the digital collections


• Access to the Library’s new exhibition Blue Prints: The Pioneering Photographs of Anna Atkins


• Games, coloring, and puzzles


• DJ


• Food & drinks available for purchase

Tickets

A limited number of Priority Advanced Tickets are available in advance.  Priority ticketing means shorter lines and guaranteed entry from 7—8 PM, giving you more time to maximize your experience exploring the Library. Your purchase benefits the Library and helps make this event—and others like it—possible. You'll also get 10% off at the bar and Library Shop during the event.

If you miss your chance to get a ticket in advance, we will have a limited number of tickets available at the door on a first come first served basis. 

Sign up to be notified about future events. 

21+ | ID required | #NYPLafterhours

Lines start forming at 5th Ave in advance of the event. 

The Library After Hours is made possible with the generous support of Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos.

Accessible entrance available at 42nd Street. 

No refunds. 

Costume parade and contest rules:

Up to the first 125 contestants to sign up are eligible for the costume parade and contest. 10 finalists will be selected and three winners announced by the judges. For security reasons, masks covering the entire face or head may not be worn until you have entered the Library. Any props that can be construed as weapons will not be allowed into the building.  Find more rules and regulations here.