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Let me tell you—here’s how to march in the Village Halloween Parade
Having participated last year, I learned a lot about how best to enjoy the experience.
The Village Halloween Parade—NYC’s creative and spooky procession—is one of the best Halloween events in Greenwich Village and you won't want to miss it!
Each year, more than 50,000 zombies, ghouls, witches, monsters, robots, Jedis, giant puppets and more things that go bump in the night take to the streets for a night of costumed revelry. Here's a peek behind the scenes with some of the parade's most amazing artists.
So get your costume ready, the Village is getting spooky! And if you need some last-minute NYC-themed costume inspo, we've got you covered.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Halloween in NYC
When is the Village Halloween Parade in NYC?
The Village Halloween Parade is on Halloween, Thursday, October 31, 2024.
What time is the Village Hallowen Parade?
It runs from 7-11pm.
2024's route
The Halloween Parade runs up Sixth Ave from King St to 15th St in Manhattan. For more information, visit halloween-nyc.com.
This year's theme
Grab your cat ears because the theme is "Meow." As event organizers say, "We didn’t ask for this fight, but when feline honor is at stake, Cats and Ladies will rise (…after a languorous stretch) to meet the moment," as parade officials said online.
Cat ladies of "every purr-suasion" are invited to don their tails and whiskers and join the ball.
Who is the Grand Marshal for this year's Village Halloween Parade in NYC?
This year's grand marshal is "Broadway icon and extraordinary being" André De Shields. You may know him from his roles as Hermes in Hadestown, Ben Loman in Death of a Salesman, and Old Deuteronomy radical reimagining of Cats: The Jellicle Ball at Perelman Performing Arts Center.
Additionally, the festivities are dedicated to longtime parade volunteer Mark Skelly "who embodied the Halloween spirit in body and mind. We will miss him forever. And Harlan Matthews…the Director’s husband and Cruise Director."
How do I march in the Village Halloween Parade in NYC?
It's free to march in the parade, but costumes are mandatory. The procession lines up at Sixth Ave and Canal St and rolls out from 6:30pm–9pm. North and west entrances to Sixth Ave will be blocked off by 6:30pm, folks can join the line from East Broome, Sullivan and Canal streets east of Sixth Ave. We recommend gathering your fellow creatures of the night a few blocks away rather than trying to find your group in the middle of the chaotic lineup.
If you want to skip the line, there are a variety of VIP ticket options.
Where can I watch the Village Halloween Parade in NYC?
Spectators can get to Sixth Ave early and grab a lookout spot before the parade rolls out at 7pm. Sixth Ave becomes most congested with spectators between Bleecker and 14th Sts, so we suggest setting up camp at either the head (Spring to W Houston Sts) or tail (14th St to 15th St) of the parade.
There are also VIP options for watching the parade, which you can check out here.
If you can't make it in person (or just want to skip the crowds), watch the parade on NY1 from 8-9:30pm.
