Marching in the Village Halloween Parade

Most people watch the Village Halloween Parade from behind a barricade. The better way is to be in it. The parade invites anyone in costume to march, and on the night thousands of New Yorkers do, alongside giant puppets, dozens of bands and dancers, all the way up Sixth Avenue. The parade is always on October 31, Halloween night itself, whatever day of the week it falls; the 53rd is on Saturday, October 31, 2026, rain or shine, and this year's theme is Body & Soul. It will be led by Firehorse, a new puppet commissioned from master puppeteer Basil Twist.

Only people in costume may march, and that is the whole entry requirement: no registration, no fee. Join the lineup at Canal Street and Sixth Avenue in the early evening, then walk the route north to 15th Street. Go as a group; a shared costume idea reads better from the sidewalk. Dress for the weather under the costume, leave bags at home, and plan to take the subway home from Chelsea afterward. If you would rather watch, stand on Sixth Avenue below 14th Street, or catch the live broadcast on NY1.