It is October and people everywhere are getting into spooky spirit and preparing for Halloween, which is right around the corner. If you are in New York City, you have probably been swept into the Halloween hype, and are already looking for things to do on October 31st to celebrate and have a great scary night.
If that is the case, then here is the perfect Halloween parade for you to attend, with your friends and family.
The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade has been happening yearly for forty-five years, and on Thursday, October 31st, it will be the 46th annual event. The parade itself will be from 7-11 pm, however there will be after party events that fill the rest of the night.
The first Greenwich Village Parade to take place was in 1973, organized by Ralph Lee, an American puppeteer and theatre actor.
The parade marches from Spring Street, all the way to the end of the 16th Street, which is 1.4 miles in total. It is the largest parade in the world, and the only nighttime one in NYC. Streets surrounding the area are usually closed off, and alternate routes are made by the city’s authorities.
If you are worried about not being able to take part in the event, don’t fret! Anyone and everyone can attend the festivities. There are no registration forms, or anything. All you have to do is put on your costume and go have fun. If you do not want to join, you can watch from the sidelines.
Attendance is always spectacular, with usually about 50,000 people taking part. Live bands perform throughout the night, with Halloween appropriate songs.
Every year there is a different theme, and this year is promising, with its ‘Wild Thing’ theme, giving us full confidence that the parade will be amazing and other worldly.
The parade has a feature of some of the best puppets ever, made by spectacular puppeteers from all over the country, and controlled by hundreds of volunteers, the themes are always focused on by the puppets, but there are other attractions in the parade. Like how fifty marching bands yearly participate in the parade march. There are also Halloween floats that are part of the event.
The parade has been studied by some of the world’s leading cultural anthropologists, and it has been concluded that it has a large effect on the culture of America. People from all cities gather at this event, and anything goes, there are no rules, social standards, or levels of normalcy that have to be met. You can dress as you please, and everyone celebrates rather than insults.
It is definitely a must-see event if you can make it there, it is surreal and exciting, and family friendly so you don’t have to worry about bringing your kids along. So, if you are in New York on the night of the 31st, don not forget to go to Spring Street, and have the time of your life.
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