BY: Liliana Rocio, Senior Editor, Spring St NYC 10/31/23
New York City’s highly anticipated Annual Village Halloween Parade is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the iconic event.
Victoria S Suarez Best Dressed Child Costume
The Parade’s theme this year will be Upside Down/Inside OUT, reflecting on the folks’ return to a “new normalcy” after the 2020 pandemic.
Dr Adal with Legendary Jeanne Fleming, Artistic and Producing Director of Parade
While many spent the lockdown INSIDE, the Parade celebrates the freedom of coming OUT, but as who we are NOW upon reemergence in whole new world.
Dr Adal with Hello Kitty
The Parade will honor world-famous performance artist Laurie Anderson as Grand Marshal and Lou Reed as the posthumous Grand Marshal, while featuring dozens of marching bands, hundreds of Giant Puppets, and tens of thousands of New Yorkers in costume of their own creation.
Dr Adal with Aqua Man
The Parade will be led this year by the famed New Orleans second line band The Young Fellaz Brass Band that traditionally plays for the traditional funeral processions through the streets of NOLA.
Power Rangers
The joyful and lively band will represent the celebration of life.
Cat Woman
The song “Halloween Parade,” by legendary guitarist and songwriter Lou Reed has become an anthem of the iconic Village Halloween Parade.
Dr Adal with The Killer
Alongside his widow Laurie, the Marshal role is intended to honor the late Velvet Underground musician who will be present through his music performed by Stewart Hurdman on Lous Reed’s very-own guitars.
Lady Liberty & Mr Chrysler building
The Halloween Parade is also excited to announce VeeFriends and Crocs presence in helping celebrate the 50th anniversary. Their team and characters will be making an appearance on the parade route in their very own float. It will be televised LIVE on NY1 starting at 8 pm.
Iconic Thriller dance
The fun continues after the parade with the OFFICIAL after party at Webster. Dubbed Webster HELL for the evening it is the best party in town, offering a $5,000 cash prize for Best Costume. Doors open at 9pm, 18 and up. Costume Contest begins at midnight.
Many Parade Participants dressed in costumes
“The Halloween Parade, in its 50th year, is a unique celebration of spirit, creativity, and unity. It continues to inspire young creatives in NYC, bringing them together in a procession of imagination and transformation.
One of many floats
Simultaneously, the Parade embraces the true essence of Halloween, where the boundary between the living and the dead is the thinnest, allowing spirits to briefly walk the earth,” said Jeanne Fleming, long-time Director of the Parade.
One of Many Marching Puppets
“This year’s Parade not only commemorates its own 50-year history but also pays tribute to those lost to various events like 9/11, AIDS, and Covid, as well as those who have been part of the Parade throughout the years.”
Skeleton Puppets
The Parade is set to begin at 7pm ET on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, at Spring St. and will travel North on Sixth Avenue from Canal Street to 18th Street.
Thousands of Spectators in Attendance
The Village Halloween Parade is free for all to view from the sidelines or to join IN COSTUME. No ticket is required; however, tickets are available and ticket holders will enjoy VIP access and the option to choose from various ways to participate in the Parade, ranging from watching it, walking in it, or helping support the work through donations.
With Mexican Muerta Woman
All IN COSTUME are welcome to join. Line-up begins at 6:30pm EST on Sixth Avenue South of Spring Street. Participants are instructed to ONLY approach the start from the SOUTH at Canal Street and 6th Avenue.
Dr Adal with Jumaane D. Williams Public Advocate Dressed in outfit
It was truly a remarkable event, 50th Annual Village Halloween Parade, we at World Liberty TV, Have been covering the Parade for the last 15 years, it always gets better and bigger every year, see more about 50th Annual Village Halloween Parade in our World Liberty TV, Channels by clicking here.