Your first Halloween in New York City is one of those typical American celebrations you’ll never forget. A carnival-style party based around the Day of the Dead can be one of the most exciting celebrations you’ll ever attend, as hoards of New Yorkers take to the streets in an event they take very seriously. The streets of Manhattan get packed with people who march in costume while having a blast.
Alone or in a group of friends, their outfits are the result of many hours of preparation, while letting their imaginations run wild. You’re assured to enjoy a spectacle. There’s no room for excuses or being shy during Halloween!
But if you don’t feel like being elaborate when you participate, don’t worry. All you need is a colorful wig or mask that’s scary or fun to be a part of the atmosphere that makes Halloween so special in “The Big Apple.”
New York’s Halloween parade is one of the biggest public events celebrating this day in the United States. Every 31st of October the colorful Greenwich Village neighborhood is the place to be. Drawing on more than 40 years of history, the parade usually starts at approximately 7 pm on Sixth Avenue between Spring and Broome Streets, and it goes all the way up to 16th Street. Approximately 60,000 people participate, so it’s only natural it would attract more than two million curious onlookers.
Students who are lucky enough to enjoy a scholarship at one of New York’s colleges and universities, as well as schools in nearby areas, shouldn’t miss this giant party for the world. It’s as easy as showing up in the West Village, where the good vibe will make you forget for a few hours how cold the temperatures have gotten.
Your fun Halloween night out in New York is not complete until you lift up your gaze and take note of how one of the most famous landmarks in the city is lit up: the Empire State Building. This iconic skyscraper changes its colors to celebrate special occasions, and it’s not hard to guess what color it turns for All Hallows’ Eve.
Costumes, laughs and meeting new people, that’s what Halloween is like in New York! So are you ready for a trick or treat?
Still looking to schedule fun activities during your stay in New York? Why not try a gospel mass?
Photo| José Antonio Gil Martínez
