New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs hosted the 51st anniversary of the Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village on Thursday, Oct. 31. Thousands of New Yorkers gathered along Sixth Avenue to experience the spirit of Halloween that filled the Village.
The Village Halloween Parade is a signature event in the city, celebrated for its creativity, inclusivity and community spirit. Since its inception, the parade has become a platform for people of all ages and backgrounds to express themselves through imaginative costumes. A sense of diversity emerges when participants set the standards for artistic and innovative designs.
Participants at the parade showcased a vibrant range of costumes, from animals like dogs and cats to celebrities and cartoon characters from various shows and cultures. People and pets alike embraced the Halloween spirit, fully decked out from head to toe. One person was dressed as a shoe rack holding Jordans, and another was draped in pink balloons to resemble a brain with visible legs.
Hundreds of giant stick puppets were carried up the street and held up by volunteers so that adults and kids could view them. The volunteers had a fun look on their faces as they interacted with the young children while attempting to scare or amuse them. Some designs the volunteers had were giant skeletons, dragons made of paper and jack-o’-lantern heads displayed for all eyes to see. This spooked out and delighted the crowds in shock and awe at such a spectacle. The parade also featured marching bands with tubas, trumpets and drums. Halloween-themed parade floats moved up the block with DJs blasting music while people on the floats threw glow sticks at attendees in hopes of being caught. A crowd favorite was the zombie dancers who choreographed Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
The parade, which covered a quarter of a mile, began at Canal Street and Avenue of the Americas and ended at West 5th Street. According to The Village Halloween Parade website, the total headcount was over 50,000 attendees. 600 volunteers and local community members helped assemble the puppets, costumes and floats. This year’s grand marshal was actor and Broadway star Andre De Shields.
The annual parade began in 1971 and was organized by Ralph Lee, a mask maker and puppeteer. It started as a celebration of artistic expression. Artists, musicians and theater people participated in costumes and fashion designs. In its early years, the parade also reflected the LGBTQ+ culture in the West Village, a vibrant gay community in Lower Manhattan, particularly in the 1970s. Since then, the event has become inclusive for everyone, where attendees feel comfortable expressing their art and fashion through costumes.
Plenty of students from colleges in the area gathered at the scene to have a good time. Teens and adults took the day off of classes and their jobs to prepare for and attend the famous parade. Monet Lawrence and Holly Satekia, roommates at the University, participated in the parade and walked down the street. Lawrence, a film major, captured the party with her camera and costume. “The parade’s atmosphere was very lively and entertaining; I couldn’t get enough of people’s creative costumes. This means a lot to me because this is my first time attending the parade,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence’s choice of costume was Janet Jackson from her favorite film, “Poetic Justice,” and she gave a step-by-step guide to how she put together the costume. “I basically created a DIY costume. I ordered some of the stuff, such as the jersey and the hat, but the rest of it was already in my closet, so it wasn’t the hardest costume to make. It was more of a put-together type of costume,” Lawrence said.
“Everyone was dressed as something super funky and spooky. The environment was fun and friendly for people of all ages; some of the costumes were a little gory for kids to watch. It is mostly the adults who go all out when it comes to their costumes and makeup,” Sateika, a Criminal Justice student at the University, said.
The Village Halloween Parade still remains a one-of-a-kind tradition that brings together creative minds and costumes. That creative and inclusive element brings the community together to support and celebrate Halloween. This tradition continues to be a must-see for New Yorkers and visitors alike.
