This Week In & Around Chelsea: October 20-27, 2025

Here’s What’s Happening This Week (in order of appearance):

Power Ply at the Polls / Lunch and Learn: What’s on my Ballot? / Making Gay History Live Fall Events / High Line Halloween / Halloween on Hudson BOOlevard

Power Play at the Polls: Ballot Questions 2-4 Would Rewire NYC’s Zoning Future! Who Would Benefit? | Monday, October 20, 6;30pm | The telling title of this online event leaves little doubt as to who would benefit, should voters in the November 4 General Election approve ballot items 2-4. Says event sponsor the City Club of New York, “Ballot Questions 2, 3, and 4 aim to shift much of NYC’s land-use decision making from the City Council to the Mayor’s office, altering the balance of power in a way that could outlast any one administration.” In an ironic twist, Questions 2-4–appear on the ballot largely via the efforts of NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who has since withdrawn from the race. No matter. With early voting set to start on October 25, groups like City Club aren’t letting up on their campaign to answer Questions 2-4 with a resounding “No.” For info on how and where to cast your vote, click here. To register for the free October 20 “Power Play” event, click here.

Lunch and Learn: What’s on my Ballot? | Wednesday, October 22, 1pm Online | The NY League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) hosts this webinar that examines how each of the six proposals on the November ballot could impact NYS and NYC. “Ballot proposals,” event organizers explain,“ are suggested changes to the New York State Constitution and the City Charter, the State and City’s governing documents. Ballot Proposal 1 would change the State Constitution, and Proposals 2 to 6 would change the NYC Charter.” Speakers from NYLCVEF will be joined by Alec Schierenbeck, Executive Director of the NYC Charter Revision Commission, and John Sheehan, Director of Communications, Adirondack Council. To register for the free webinar and for more information, click here.

Making Gay History Live Fall Events | The popular podcast Making Gay History becomes a brick-and-mortar thing this fall, via an imaginative initiative from its creators (among them, Eric Marcus–editor of Chelsea’s informative and opinionated Neighborhood Newsletter). For all essential info, including how to purchase tickets, click here.

High Line Halloween: Little Park of Horrors | Saturday, October 25, 11am – 2pm on the High Line at 14th Street | This family-friendly, all-ages event sees the elevated park celebrate NYC’s fierce nature by revealing actual and imaginary plants and creatures said to roam the High Line at night, creating the perfect setting to “strut in your best costume, experience Halloween games and activities, transform through face painting, take family photos, and dance.” That sounds like fun–but for other-level fun, consider these additional features: “Children,” event organizers promise, “will experience an immersive cardboard cityscape [by artist Yung Oh Le], engage with hands-on art activities, join in the Rat Race [an interactive puppet competition], and marvel at a carnivorous plant puppet.” Bonus content: Kids and adults alike can enjoy the emcee stylings of frighteningly funny drag artist Miss Woman the woman. For more information, click here–if you dare! Note: Walk-up attendees are welcome if the event is not at capacity. Weather not permitting, the reschedule date is October 26. Eventbrite registrants will be notified via email and the High Line will post an update on their website and @highlinenyc’s X feed.

Halloween on Hudson BOOlevard: Friday, October 31, 3pm to 7pm in Bella Abzug Park (btw. W. 35th & 36th St.) | This free event for kids and families isn’t kidding around. It offers TWO bouncy houses, spooky photo ops, movie screenings, “deals on fun fall snacks and drinks,” and a Trick or Treat Trail–with, one hopes, candy at trail’s end (and maybe along the way?). Click here for details.

—Compiled by Scott Stiffler

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This Week In & Around Chelsea: October 20-27, 2025 is posted on October 20, 2025