Here’s a Bakers Dozen of Ways to Celebrate Halloween 2024

New Yorkers looking for local family-friendly activities during the Halloween weekend have plenty of options to choose from.

There is of course, the annual Greenwich Village parade on Oct. 31 which is expected to draw 50,000 participants. Anyone in costume can join the march for free. This year has the feline theme “Meow” and participants are urged to head to Sixth Ave. and Canal starting around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. The parade runs to about 11 p.m. and proceeds up Sixth Ave. from its start at Spring Street to W. 16th St.

There is even a Hudson River Halloween Cruise that is being run by eventscruisesnyc.com that leaves Halloween night from Pier 40 at 353 West St. Costumes are encouraged but not mandatory. General admission starts at $55.

But if the huge crowds are not your thing, all over Manhattan, community centers, parks, and community organizations are preparing festivals, parades, and carnivals for parents, pets, and children.

The Morningside Heights Kimera Festival of Music and Storytelling is expected to be one of the largest Halloween events uptown. The festival, which will run on Saturday October 26th (rain date 10/27) from 2 p.n. to 8 p.m. at Amsterdam Avenue and W. 111th Street, advertises “local and international musicians and a DJ [who] will offer a wide variety of genres.” Neighbors will also share local stories throughout the event.

From 3 p.m.. to 5 p.m., festival attendees will find the Haunted Fountain at the Cathedral, which is set to include crafts, games, and trick-or-treating. Then, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., attendees can witness a costume parade for kids, adults, and pets. Also starting at 5 p.m., Taste W. 111th will showcase local restaurants. Festival goers can purchase a $20 Tasting Passport starting at 2 p.m. Tasters will also have the chance to vote on this year’s winner of the “Triple-One Cup” for best local bite.

“This is our fourth annual Halloween extravaganza and we anticipate hundreds of neighbors on 10/26,” said W. 111th Street Block Association’s Doug Lavin. “This tradition started as a fun and safe outdoor activity during COVID and has only grown since then, attracting partnerships with the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the International Brazilian Opera Company, Morningside Merchants local business association, and many others.”

Manhattanites looking for Halloween-weekend activities on the Upper East Side can find them at the Constance Baker Motley Recreation Center from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, October 25. There, NYC Parks is hosting a Halloween celebration, which will include a costume contest. “Family costumes are encouraged,” NYC Parks notes in a flyer for the event. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to bond with friends and neighbors while getting into the spooky season.”

Upper East Side families who didn’t get the chance to RSVP for the Constance Baker Motley Recreation Center Halloween celebration can also find activities at the “Asphalt Screams” Halloween festival, which Asphalt Green says is the “biggest Halloween event on the Upper East Side!” This year, they’re offering a “sensory-friendly experience” during the first hour. This “inclusive session” features activities such as parachute play and a sensory-friendly bounce castle, all set to festive Halloween music played at a lower volume,” according to their website. While the sensory hour has been sold out — it’s limited to 150 people — Asphalt Green has expanded their event to encompass their field from 3:30 P.M. - 6:30 P.M. and also includes a street fair on 90 St. & York Avenue. Activities will include carnival games as well as a haunted maze.

Did you know that Halloween was invented in Ireland? That’s what the Irish Arts Center is claiming. Families wishing to find out if that’s true (or who would like to celebrate Halloween the Irish way) should get tickets to Dark Ladies, a play based on ghost stories by Victorian female writers like Emily Brontë and Edith Wharton that is running until November 3rd.

New Yorkers interested in starting a new Halloween tradition can visit Hudson River Park. On the 29th, the park is hosting a Barktoberfest celebration from 4 p.m.. to 6 p.m. at the Leroy Street Dog Park. “Dog and human costumes are encouraged at this annual fall event for our Four Legged Friends Program,” the website says. Humans and canines alike can enjoy food, pet photography, and opportunities to get acquainted with local dog-friendly businesses. And on Nov. 2, New Yorkers looking to compost their jack-o-lanterns can attend the Pumpkin Smash event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pier 84 on W. 44th Street.

Also for Fido: on Friday (10/25), the Ruff House Social Club is partnering with Zoom Room Chelsea for a Halloween Dog Social. It’s an off-leash event where NYC dog owners will enjoy socializing, dog-friendly activities, giveaways from 12 vendors, and complimentary drinks.

In the Chelsea Market, Halloween celebrations will be taking place on the 25th, 26th, and the 31st. There, Manhattanites will find live pumpkin carving with Manic Pumpkins Friday morning, Barktoberfest (hosted by Downtown Magazine) on Pier 57’s Rooftop Park Saturday afternoon, and all day trick or treating on Halloween day.

Also in Chelsea, Buckle My Shoe Preschool, is transforming its 43rd annual Halloween parade with a creative, eco-conscious twist featuring children wearing costumes made from recycled materials, inspired by their favorite children’s books, characters, neighborhood themes, and classic children’s songs. When: Thursday, October 31, 10:30 a.m.Where: Buckle My Shoe Preschool 80 8th Avenue between 14th and 15th Sts.

Looking for something to do downtown? Brookfield Place is offering a Halloween Hunt from October 25th to October 31st. “Pick up your map from the concierge at 230 Vesey Street and complete fun activities around BFPL on your ghostly quest,” their website advertises. “Finish 4 tasks to score a coloring bag and treats or complete them all for a chance to win fa-BOO-lous prizes such as gift cards.”

Also downtown for Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town residents is the Halloween dog days event on Oct. 26. From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.. at Playground 3 in Peter Cooper Village, residents who register their dogs and who show their PCVST card to team members are assured “delicious doggy treats” and a “morning of fun, treats, and tail-wagging festivities,” according to their website.

Finally, New Yorkers who are interested in getting into the Halloween spirit without leaving their apartments can check out Halloween Ball on Revry, the first global LGBTQ+ streaming service. The show, which started streaming on October 15, features four categories of costumes contests, two of which are sponsored by göt2b: “Scary Hairy Terror Twins,” in which teams of two bring iconic Halloween villains to life on the runway; “Hexy Sexy Hex Sirens,” which “invites contestants to seduce with mystical costumes and charm;” “Bitchtress of Halloween,” which Revry says is “for the most flawless face and stunning Halloween look;” and “Elite Eight,” which Revry says “features eight elite vogue dancers battling in a Halloween-themed competition crowning the ultimate ‘Final Boss.’”