The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze goes viral

Visitor videos posted on YouTube

can win an iPod touch

Fans are connecting with Blaze on Facebook, MySpace

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY (Sept. 23, 2008) - Visitors to The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, the tri-state region's premier October event, have four chances to win an iPod touch by uploading an original video of the event to YouTube.

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze features more than 4,000 individually hand-carved pumpkins lit up throughout the wooded walkways, orchards, and gardens of historic Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. Blaze takes place Oct. 4-5, 10-13, 17-19, and 23-31. To enter the Blaze YouTube Video Contest, visitors should attend the event and film. Four winners - one per week - will be announced on the last four Fridays in October. The contest deadlines are Tuesdays, Oct. 7, 14, 21, and 28.
Winning entries will be no longer than three minutes in length and will best capture the creativity and excitement of the Blaze experience. The published videos that in the view of Historic Hudson Valley's judges best achieve the contest goal will win their creators an iPod touch, courtesy of WHUD 100.7. The contest is free to enter; tripods are not allowed on site. Full contest details and requirements are at www.hudsonvalley.org.

Social networking

In years past, fans have uploaded dozens of Blaze videos to YouTube, but now they are also connecting with the event on Facebook and MySpace. Scores have become Facebook fans and MySpace friends since pages for Blaze were created two weeks ago.

"Attending The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze is a very social event. For 2008, many visitors are buying tickets in blocks of 20, 30, even more, so it seems natural that fans will want to connect with us on these popular social networks," said Rob Schweitzer, Director of Public Relations for Historic Hudson Valley.

HVBlog

Rounding out Historic Hudson Valley's Web 2.0 efforts are the HVBlog, which features the organization's latest news, including preparations for its storied Halloween events.

Blaze details

Deemed a "Halloween extravaganza" by Martha Stewart, the Great Jack O' Lantern Blaze includes thousands of hand-carved pumpkins - many fused together in elaborate multi-carving constructions, such as life-size dinosaurs.

The first reservation each evening is at 6:30. Advance tickets are a must. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $10 for ages 5-17, and free for children under five and HHV Members. Admission is by timed ticket only. Buy tickets online at www.hudsonvalley.org or by calling 914-631-8200 ($2 per ticket surcharge for phone orders).

Blaze Title Sponsor is Entergy Nuclear, Blaze Participating Sponsor is Key Bank, and Blaze Media Sponsor is 100.7 WHUD.

Van Cortlandt Manor is at 525 South Riverside Avenue, just off Route 9 in Croton-on-Hudson. Blaze is held rain or shine and is suitable for children. All proceeds support Historic Hudson Valley, the non-profit educational organization which owns and operates Van Cortlandt Manor and produces the event.

Historic Hudson Valley is a network of six historic sites in Sleepy Hollow Country and the Great Estates region; Washington Irving's Sunnyside; Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, a historic site of the National Trust; Philipsburg Manor; the Union Church of Pocantico Hills; Van Cortlandt Manor; and Montgomery Place Historic Estate.

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