Halloween Parade NYC: What to Know Before You Go

The night of October 31 is one of the most anticipated dates of the year in NYC. That night, thousands of people head to the Village in Manhattan for the famous New York Halloween Parade.

If you're in the city, don't miss it! Below you'll find all the details on the 2024 Halloween Parade.

In October, New York fills up with pumpkins, cobwebs and skeletons. But as I mentioned, it's more than a kids' party and some spooky decorations.

If pumpkins, legends and scary stories are your thing, you have to visit Sleepy Hollow, the town of the Headless Horseman! It's less than an hour from Manhattan by train 😉.

When is the Halloween Parade in New York?

The New York Halloween Parade takes place on the night of October 31 in the Village, between 7 pm and 11 pm.

It's an annual tradition that turns half a century old in 2024. Every year it draws freaks and geeks in seriously fantastic, very well produced costumes.

It started in 1974 as a puppet parade in the West Village and grew over the years into the huge street party it is today.

Where is the New York Halloween Parade?

The parade starts on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan at Canal Street. From there it heads north along the same avenue up to 15th Street.

How to get there

There are several subway lines and stations where you can get off:

• Lines C or E. Spring St station.
• Lines A, B, C, D, E, F or M. West 4th St station.
• Line 1 to Houston St or Christopher St.
• Lines 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, F or M. 14th St station.

What to see at the Halloween Parade

The Halloween Parade in New York's Village is one big party. Picture up to 60,000 people marching, plus thousands more watching from the sidewalks.

At the Halloween parade you'll see enormous puppets, musicians and dancers making their way up Sixth Avenue. And of course, hundreds of people in costume.

I really recommend you don't miss it, because Halloween costumes in New York are not kid stuff. This isn't the suburban trick or treat you see in the movies, it's a party for grown-ups.

You'll spot plenty of Jedis, Princess Leias, Ghostbusters, Jokers, Beetlejuices, Men in Black and whatever other classic or currently trending fictional character you can think of.

Where to watch the New York Halloween Parade 2024?

If you want to watch this carnival on October 31, get there early, by 6 pm at the latest, to Sixth Avenue between Spring Street and 16th Street. The action really kicks off around 7 pm and runs until 11 pm.

As I mentioned in the route details, the parade begins at Sixth Avenue and Canal Street and moves north along the avenue to 15th Street.

The stretch of Sixth Avenue that gets most packed with spectators is between Bleecker and 14th Street. If you can't get there early, try to position yourself outside that area.

Another idea, if you're not a fan of crowds, is to ride the subway a few hours before the parade. You'll see hundreds of people in costume on their way to the New York Halloween Parade.

You can find more event details on the organizers' official site.

How to take part in the 2024 Halloween Parade

No registration needed. Anyone in costume is welcome to join the NYC Halloween Parade.

You'll walk among giant puppets, 53 bands of every kind, dancers and performers, and thousands of costumed New Yorkers.

If you have a costume tucked away and want to show it off, pack it, put it on that day and head to Sixth Avenue and Canal Street between 6:30pm and 8:30pm (the closest subway station for getting into that area is Spring Street, lines A, C, E).

And after the parade, every bar and nightspot in Greenwich Village overflows. A night for not sleeping.

Halloween in New York with kids

If you're traveling with kids and want to do the classic outing to pick your own pumpkin, you can head to Pumpkin Point on Governors Island, a typical Halloween activity held on the last two weekends of October (details here).

You can also visit the Queens County Farm Museum, an old farm with a corn maze, hayrides and walks through a pumpkin patch. Read the information for visiting the farm.