The Very Best of NYC Halloween Events

New York’s Village Halloween Parade, 35th Annual Village Halloween Costume Ball, The Ride Inspectors Nightmare, Sexy Jack-OLantern Contest, Boo! a Burlesque and Broadway Revue

Halloween is right around the corner, and there is no shortage of trick-and-treat events! No Halloween would be complete without heading out to New York’s Village Halloween Parade. Celebrating its 39th year, the parade promises to be the biggest and best yet. Get your spot early as wildly-clad performers and a menagerie of giant puppets step off at 7pm in the 6th Avenue and Spring Street area and travel up to 16th Street. Those planning to march should arrive at 6:30pm.

Nonstop theater, a costume competition and ballroom dancing will bewitch the East Village at Theater for the New City’s 35th Annual Village Halloween Costume Ball Oct 31. This one-night fiesta takes over all four of TNC’s theater spaces and spills out to most of the blocks surrounding. Join over 1,400 costume clad celebrants as they gather for dancing, dining and entertainment from cutting-edge artists of cabaret and theater including Penny Arcade, The Love Show, Lissa Moira, The Bambi Killers, The Wycherly Sisters and more. Enjoy holiday dishes at the Witches Cauldron with delicious morsels contributed by Village restaurants and dance to the big band sounds of Maquina Mono and Hot Lavender Swing Band. Be sure to wear your best costume and stay for the midnight “Monsters and Miracles Costume Parade.”

Head down to Coney Island as Creepshow at the Freakshow presents The Ride Inspectors Nightmare, playing now through Oct 31. Coney Island’s original Halloween extravaganza, one of the best spook shows in all of New York City,sends spectators veering through various rooms at the Coney Island Sideshows building (generally not open to the public.) Bring a friend to grab onto as you descend down decaying stairs to the bowels of the building on this bonechilling tour through the tortured dreams of a corrupt amusement park worker.

For something a little tamer, try your hand at pumpkin carving and enter the Sexy Jack-OLantern Contest sponsored by Babeland. Email your erotic jack-o-lantern photo or bring it to any New York Babeland store for a chance to win Babeland goodies. Jack-O-Lanterns are judged on creativity and craftsmanship. Entries accepted at all NY stores until Oct 28.

Kick off your Halloween with Boo! a Burlesque and Broadway Revue held at the Living Theatre Oct 27. Broadway dancers from Billy Elliot and Wicked rush downtown from their uptown shows to kick up their heels in this bawdy evening with New York’s most infamous nightlife performers, including RunAround Sue, Legs Malone, Lady Scoutington and Pinkie Special. In addition to the collaboration of Burlesque and Broadway performers there will be show stopping comedy routines and outrageous moments of audience participation.


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