The 53rd Annual Village Halloween Parade takes over Greenwich Village on Saturday, October 31, 2026, turning Sixth Avenue into one enormous Halloween celebration. The parade starts at 7:00 PM and brings together giant puppets, marching bands, dancers, artists and thousands of people in some seriously creative costumes.
And here's the part that makes this Halloween parade different: you can actually be in it.
Watching from the sidewalk is free, but anyone in costume can join the parade for free too. No application or general admission ticket is required. Put on your costume, head to the lineup at Canal Street and Sixth Avenue, and you can become part of the procession yourself.
What can you expect?
Think New York Halloween turned all the way up.
The 2026 parade theme is “Body & Soul,” and this year's procession will be led by a spectacular new Firehorse puppet, created by master puppeteer Basil Twist and choreographed by performance artist Julie Atlas Muz. Behind it come giant puppets, more than 50 bands, dancers, artists and thousands of costumed New Yorkers.
The costumes are a huge part of the experience. You'll see everything from handmade creations and elaborate characters to wonderfully strange ideas that only really make sense on Halloween night in New York and because this is a participatory Halloween parade, the crowd isn't separate from the show. The people watching, the people marching and the performers all become part of the spectacle.
NYC Village Halloween Parade route
The parade travels north on Sixth Avenue from the Canal Street area to West 15th Street through Greenwich Village. NYC Village Halloween Parade
If you're marching, the lineup area is at Canal Street and Sixth Avenue, with participants entering between 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM. Only people in costume are allowed to march.
Where should you watch?
You can watch the parade from the sidewalks along Sixth Avenue, but don't leave it until 7 PM to find a spot.
The middle section around Bleecker Street through 14th Street tends to be especially crowded. If you want a little more breathing room, consider watching closer to the southern part of the route or farther north toward 15th Street.
What to watch out for
The crowds. This is not a small neighborhood parade. The official organizers say the event has more than 80,000 costumed participants, with millions of spectators associated with the parade. Expect packed sidewalks and give yourself plenty of time to get into Greenwich Village.
If you're marching, wear a costume. Costumes aren't optional for participants. You'll need to be in costume to enter the parade.
Don't drive. Sixth Avenue and surrounding streets will be affected by the parade, and parking around the route will be extremely difficult. Public transportation is the better option, but expect crowded stations too.
Watch the giant puppets. They're one of the defining features of the Village Halloween Parade, with artists and puppeteers creating new large-scale puppets around each year's theme. Look up as the procession comes through.
No alcohol while marching. The parade has a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol among participants. Save the drinks for after the parade.
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