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Prepare your costumes and your crosswalks—Halloween is about to take over the streets. The city’s Department of Transportation just announced the return of Trick-or-Streets, its annual Halloween celebration that turns Open Streets and plazas across the five boroughs into car-free zones for candy, costumes and community. This year’s edition will be the biggest yet, with a record 137 events (and counting) planned between October 17 and October 31.
The program, now in its fourth year, is part of NYC DOT’s broader mission to reimagine public space. “Throughout the month of October, NYC DOT’s fourth annual Trick-or-Streets program will bring seasonal events to plazas and Open Streets... to bring joy, culture, and greater safety for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Building on years of successful Open Street activations... this is a testament to what can be accomplished when we rethink how our streets can enrich our communities.”
Expect everything from pumpkin patches and hay bale photo ops to live performances, games and Día de los Muertos celebrations. Local groups will host their own spins on the festivities—from Harlem Lane’s Saint Nicholas Avenue Open Streets program, which will feature arts education and dance, to Brooklyn’s Franklin Avenue Open Street, where Street Lab will help transform the block into a family-friendly playground. “Halloween is a special day when New York City kids should feel excited, happy and safe on the street,” said Leslie Davol, co-founder of Street Lab.
To mark the kickoff, DOT also unveiled the brand-new 29th Street Plaza outside LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City—a 17,000-square-foot pedestrian space complete with tables, bike corrals and one of the largest asphalt murals in the city, designed by LaGuardia fine arts student Fernanda Contreras.
The plaza will join the Trick-or-Streets lineup later this month with music, performances and plenty of neighborhood flair. “The street mural has transformed 29th Street into a lively, welcoming space for the community to gather, socialize and relax,” said LaGuardia Community College president Kenneth Adams.
A full list of Trick-or-Streets events and participating locations will be available on the NYC DOT website—because in this city, Halloween is best celebrated curbside.