2022 Village Halloween Parade in NYC
NEW YORK - The annual Halloween parade in New York City's Greenwich Village returned Monday.
Officially called the Village Halloween Parade, the event draws tens of thousands of costumed participants and even more spectators.
The 2020 parade was canceled due to the COVID pandemic. The 2021 parade was almost canceled due to a budget shortfall but a generous donor stepped in to save the event.
The 2022 Village Halloween Parade showcased hundreds of floats and puppets. The Brass Queens, an all-women eight-piece brass band from Brooklyn, led the parade. The Brooklyn United Marching Band was the parade grand marshal.
"This year’s theme, Freedom, was inspired not by the people of New York, but by their need to experience a place where fun is the main objective; to feel joy and the freedom of being who you are," artistic and producing director Jeanne Fleming said in a statement. "Throughout history, when our country faced times of hardship, people flocked to the parade because [it] extended the freedom to forget about whatever was going wrong and enjoy what was right in front of them, each other."
Skeleton puppets in the Village Halloween Parade. (FOX 5 NY File Photo)
When is the Village Halloween Parade?
The parade is on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. It begins at 7 p.m. and goes until about 11 p.m.
What is the Village Halloween Parade route?
The 1.4-mile parade route follows 6th Avenue from Canal Street to West 15th Street.
Can I march in the Village Halloween Parade?
Actually, yes you can — but only if you wear a costume. You don't need to register ahead. Just show up at Canal Street and 6th Avenue between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
"Everybody belongs — that's part of what's so great about the Village Halloween Parade," parade spokesperson Brandon Hardy told Good Day New York. "All you got to do is show up in costume and you're in."
Where can I watch the Village Halloween Parade?
Although the marchers begin at Canal Street, spectators stand on either side of 6th Avenue between King Street and 15th Street.
"The streets are most crowded between Bleecker and 14th Street, so you might consider getting there early or try another place along the route," the parade website states, "or better yet, put on a costume and join the Parade!"