SUP Witches Festival 2026 — Paddleboarding Witches on the Hudson

Quick Facts: SUP Witches Festival 2026

• The festival is Saturday, October 10, 2026, from noon to 5 p.m. at Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow.

• Festival is organized by Rivertowns SUP & Yoga.

• The witches paddle from 2 to 3 p.m., with live music scheduled before and after the floating parade.

• Advance admission is $8 plus processing fees, while tickets at the gate cost $10; children under 8 get in free.

• Paddle registration is now closed because all spots are taken; costumes are required for registered paddlers.

• Previous paddling experience is required, since this is the tidal Hudson River in October, not a calm lake.

• PFDs (life vests) are mandatory by law and checked at launch; waist and inflatable PFDs are accepted, and organizers strongly recommend wearing them.

• Stand-up paddleboarders are required to wear a board leash, and organizers check them at the launch before paddlers head onto the water.

• You'll launch in knee-deep water, so quick-drying clothes or a wetsuit are strongly recommended.

• Rental boards are limited to Rivertowns SUP & Yoga customers for insurance reasons, so most paddlers bring their own.

• Spectators can simply show up, with music, food, brews and vendors at "Witches Hollow" on shore.

Yes, Sleepy Hollow Has Paddleboarding Witches

There are plenty of places where people dress as witches in October. Sleepy Hollow apparently looked at that concept and decided the witches needed paddleboards.

During the SUP Witches Festival, costumed paddlers launch onto the Hudson from Kingsland Point Park, turning the river into a floating Halloween parade of pointy hats, black capes, colorful boards and some extremely committed costumes.

The festival began in 2020 as a spur-of-the-moment paddle organized by Tara Scheller, owner and founder of Rivertowns SUP & Yoga. Scheller now serves as the event's Head Witch alongside co-chairs Leanne Duke and Chrissy Braun.

What started as a wonderfully weird group paddle has since grown into a full waterfront festival, organized by Rivertowns SUP & Yoga in collaboration with the Village of Sleepy Hollow. The costumed paddle is still the main event, complete with a mass group photo on the water. Brooms go up, witch hats get strapped down, and the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse makes a pretty perfect backdrop.

The Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse gives the SUP Witches paddle one of the Hudson Valley's most recognizable backdrops.

The Paddle Is Only Part of the Festival

You don't need to own a paddleboard, wear a wetsuit or possess particularly strong broomstick energy to attend. The festival runs from noon until 5 p.m., with live music, food and drinks, vendors and family-friendly activities onshore at Kingsland Point Park. Costumes are encouraged for spectators too, and friendly leashed dogs are welcome.

The main event hits the water at 2 p.m., when the witches paddle along the Sleepy Hollow shoreline for roughly an hour before the party moves back onshore. The festival organizers also describe the Headless Horseman riding along the shoreline, as if paddleboarding witches alone weren't quite enough Halloween for Sleepy Hollow.

That makes the event an easy centerpiece for a larger spooky-season getaway. If you're already looking at Halloween trips and fall getaways, this is the kind of event that's unusual enough to headline the trip rather than simply squeeze into an itinerary.

Witches take to the Hudson River on paddleboards during Sleepy Hollow's annual SUP Witches Festival. Photo courtesy of Rivertowns SUP & Yoga and SUP Witch Festival, @rivertownssupyoga and @supwitchfest.

Paddle Registration Is Closed for 2026

Spectating is easy, but joining the coven takes a little more planning. Registration for the 2026 paddle is now closed after all available spots were filled. Registered paddlers had to sign up in advance, be able to swim and have previous paddling experience on the Hudson River.

Paddlers also need to come prepared for the event’s safety requirements. PFDs or life vests are mandatory and checked at the launch before participants head onto the water.

And yes, if you're paddling, you have to dress up. Organizers require costumes and advise choosing something you can safely paddle, and potentially swim, in. Your giant velvet witch cape may be magnificently dramatic on shore, but perhaps save that particular piece of theater for after you've returned to dry land.

Paddlers make their way to the Hudson River with their boards before joining the SUP Witches Festival. Photo courtesy of Rivertowns SUP & Yoga and SUP Witch Festival, @rivertownssupyoga and @supwitchfest.

What You Need to Paddle

This is not a beginner outing. Organizers require previous paddling experience, and the advance headcount is shared with local authorities so they can arrange appropriate water support.

• Board leash: Required for stand-up paddleboarders and checked by event officials at the launch.

• PFD: Required on your vessel, with waist and inflatable PFDs accepted; organizers strongly recommend wearing it.

• Water-safe clothing: Quick-drying layers or a wetsuit are recommended instead of heavy cotton, wool or velvet.

• Witch hat: Secure it with a strap if possible, because anything lost in the Hudson stays lost.

• Backup: Keep a towel and a dry change of clothes waiting in the car.

Those aren't merely suggestions tucked into the fine print. The official paddler guidance says SUP leashes must actually be worn and will be checked at the launch, while all paddlers must be able to swim.

Rental equipment is limited and reserved for eligible Rivertowns SUP & Yoga customers, so most participants should plan on bringing their own board or kayak. Registered paddlers have limited parking access inside the park, but it is first come, first served, and everyone needs to arrive early because the gates close to vehicles at 11:30 a.m.

Paddleboards line up before launch at the SUP Witches Festival, where participants must bring the required safety gear and arrive early for access to Kingsland Point Park. Photo courtesy of Rivertowns SUP & Yoga and SUP Witch Festival, @rivertownssupyoga and @supwitchfest.

Make a Full Sleepy Hollow Weekend Out of It

The paddle may be the most gleefully absurd thing you'll see on the Hudson that weekend, but it doesn't have to be the whole trip. Sleepy Hollow goes all in on Halloween, with October weekends built around historic sites, fall scenery, seasonal events and enough Legend of Sleepy Hollow lore to keep even the most devoted Washington Irving fan happy.

If you're coming from farther away, it also makes sense to stay in Sleepy Hollow or neighboring Tarrytown instead of heading straight back into Manhattan after the festival. October is peak season here, though, so this isn't the weekend to wait until Friday night and hope the Headless Horseman has saved you a hotel room.

Sleepy Hollow leans fully into its spooky-season reputation each October, making the village an easy base for a weekend of Halloween events and fall sightseeing.

The SUP Witches Festival feels almost tailor-made for Sleepy Hollow: costumed witches on the Hudson, fall color along the shoreline and a village that takes October very seriously. And even if balancing on a paddleboard in a witch hat sounds like your personal nightmare, watching the whole thing from dry land requires considerably less athletic commitment.

It's quirky, very local, and just strange enough to be worth building an October weekend around.

Frequently Asked Questions: SUP Witches Festival 2026

When is the SUP Witches Festival 2026?

The SUP Witches Festival takes place Saturday, October 10, 2026, from noon to 5 p.m. at Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow, New York. The rain date is Sunday, October 11.

What time do the witches paddle in Sleepy Hollow?

The main SUP Witches paddle is scheduled from 2 to 3 p.m. Live music begins before the paddle and continues again afterward.

How much are SUP Witches Festival tickets?

General admission costs $8 in advance plus processing fees or $10 at the gate plus processing fees. Children younger than 8 are admitted free.

Can I paddle in the SUP Witches Festival?

Not unless you're already registered. Paddle registration for 2026 is closed because all spots are taken. Spectators can still attend the festival and watch the paddle from shore.

Is SUP Witches paddle registration still open?

No. Paddle registration for 2026 is closed because all spots have been taken. Walk-up paddlers won't be accepted on the day of the festival.

What equipment do I need for the SUP Witches Festival?

SUP paddlers need their board, paddle, leash and PFD, while kayakers need a kayak, paddle and PFD. Organizers won't have spare equipment available on the day of the event.

Do you have to wear a witch costume?

If you're paddling, yes. Costumes are required, although organizers recommend quick-drying materials and advise avoiding heavy fabrics that become difficult to manage when wet.

Can you take the train from NYC to the SUP Witches Festival?

Yes. Metro-North's Hudson Line serves Philipse Manor and Tarrytown, with Philipse Manor less than half a mile from the park and Tarrytown about 1.5 miles away.