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Village Halloween: No Tricks, Just Treats

The Village has a long history of putting on the best Halloween festivities. From the world-renowned NYC Village Halloween Parade to local specials at our many small business establishments, there is always something to do here to celebrate this spooky time of the year.

Image courtesy of Scott Laperruque.

Village Preservation has you covered on the top things to do this weekend and beyond to celebrate. You can find all the festive things you are looking for here in the Village. We have parties, ghosts tours, and even kid-friendly events for the whole family.

The Village Halloween Parade

The early years of the Village Halloween parade at Westbeth. Photo courtesy of Shelley Seccombe.

The Village Halloween Parade will take place on Thursday, October 31, 2019, and typically goes from 7 pm–10:30 pm. This will be the 46th Halloween Parade that has been hosted in the Village. The parade first originated from Westbeth resident Ralph Lee, who curated puppet shows for his neighborhood community.  The event has since turned into a phenomenon that attracts millions of participants, spectators, and now viewers on TV each year. The Village Halloween Parade runs up Sixth Ave from Spring St to 16th St in Manhattan. For more information about the parade click here.

NYU and Manhattan Community Board 2 are also co-hosting the 29th Annual Children’s Halloween Parade, one of the city’s largest free children’s events on Halloween Day! This will take place from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Parents and children are invited to gather at the arch in Washington Square Park by 3:00 pm. After the parade, free trick-or-treat bags, games, and rides will await the children on LaGuardia Place between Washington Square South and West 3rd Street.

Candlelight Ghost Tours

Photo via Merchant’s House Museum.

The Merchant’s House Museum is celebrating this Halloween season with many frightening events that celebrate the history of the historic house. Eight family members died in the house; their wakes and funerals were held in the double parlor shrouded in black crepe. You are invited to venture into the dark and ghostly shadows of history by flickering candlelight to hear chilling tales of restless phantoms, voices calling into the night, and unsettling occurrences, all from the people who actually experienced them. Take a tour of the #1 Most Haunted Place in NYC as voted by TimeOut New York. Tickets can be reserved here.

The Merchant’s House Museum is a vital part of New York’s history. Did you know that, in addition to the exterior, most of the interior of the house is also a designated landmark? It is one of the few places in New York where this is so. With encroaching development surround the establishment, we want to make sure that legal protections are set in order to preserve the history for future generations. Take action here to prevent an upzoning in the NoHo/SoHo area.

 

Little Missionary’s Annual Halloween Party

Little Missionary’s Day Nursery will be hosting their annual Halloween party in the St. Mark’s Church Garden at 131 East 10th Street. There will be face painting, games, a bake sale, and even a haunted house. The event will be held on Saturday, October 26th from 11 am to 2 pm.

This event will take place in the St. Mark’s Historic District, one of the smallest landmarked districts in New York. The St. Mark’s Historic District, designated January 14, 1969, contains fewer than 40 buildings on parts of just three blocks. The most significant structure in the district is the historic St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, which is New York’s oldest site of continuous religious worship.

The Duplex

The Duplex, New York City’s world-famous cabaret and piano bar, will showcase their darker side with some horror and macabre-themed shows. On Friday, October 25th at 6:30pm “Dracula: Lord of the Dark” will present a musical adaptation of the classic story of the world’s most famous vampire. On Saturday, October 26th at 4:00pm “Time To Scream” by the Shine Theatre Arts Project will present a Halloween Cabaret featuring youth from the Broadway Community. Lastly, on Tuesday, October 29th at 7:00pm Page Lucky will present the “Musical Massacre Halloween Show” which will set classical Halloween songs to the tune of jazz. These events are all on the Duplex’s event calendar and tickets can be purchased here.

The Duplex is located in the Greenwich Village Historic District. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District, and we are celebrating! Throughout the year, we’re conducting programs and releasing research and tools to help highlight the critical importance and rich history of the Greenwich Village Historic District. The Duplex and many more establishments can be found on our NEW Interactive Map of the Greenwich Village Historic District.

Scary Bazaar- Halloween

Don’t be afraid to visit NYC’s biggest and scariest weekly market, Grand Bazaar NYC, as is transforms for Halloween into a “Scary Bazaar”. Expect to be greeted by creepy crawly and ghostly decorations, and explore the 140+ spooky vendors – many in costume – indoors and outdoors. There will of course be a fantastic selection of scary sweet treats from artisanal food vendors. Get your scare on and come out for a fun day for the whole family and maybe uncover unearthly finds! 100% of Grand Bazaar NYC’s profits are donated to four local public schools, benefiting over 4,000 children. Come hungry and ready to shop local! This may be a commute outside of the Village, but many local Village artists happen to participate. Come out and support!

Village East Cinemas Horror Series

If you are a fan of classic horror and historic theaters, then you’re in luck this Halloween season! The Village East Cinemas is showcasing a special series of iconic horror films to celebrate Allhallows’s Eve. There are two shows remaining in the series which you can still attend. Creature from the Black Lagoon will be shown on Monday, October 28th at 7:30 PM and Psycho will be shown on Thursday, October 31st at 7:30 PM. Tickets can be reserved here.

Village East Cinemas is one of New York’s last remaining Yiddish theatre buildings. It is a New York City designated landmark, and it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can check out some of the places that Village Preservation is working to landmark here.

 

Halloween Marshmallow Decorating Kids Class

Squish Marshmallows in the East Village is hosting a kid-friendly event where they can decorate Halloween themed marshmallows. Why get tricked when you can have a treat? This event is open to ages 4-12. The class will start with personalizing an apron, to also take home! Each kid and adult will get their own 4.3”x9” marshmallow slab where they will be able to cut fun shapes with cookie cutters, dust their marshmallows, and decorate them with sprinkles, glitter, and color. Reserve your spot here.

Squish Marshmallows is one of many small businesses located in the East Village. With the rising cost of New York real estate, it is becoming harder and harder for local stores to stay open. Village Preservation urges you to join the fight in keeping wonderful small businesses like Squish alive by signing our petition to Support the East Village Special Retail District which will limit the amount of chain stores in the East Village.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1aqNP39chcPssTEzBCbCqYO3TTdw&ll=40.73033943320964%2C-73.98939064283752&z=16

Many of the attractions and events on the list are hosted by small business. Here at Village Preservation, we are actively seeking out ways in which we can help small businesses survive in this current state of New York real estate. You can learn more about our small business efforts here and take action to support your favorite local establishments here.

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