Scaring Up Some Frights and Fun
Perhaps the largest children’s Halloween march in the nation, the Park Slope Civic Council’s Halloween Parade has been a part of neighborhood life since 1986. Each year, in a tremendous show of generosity, the merchants on Seventh and Fifth Avenues hand out an abundance of sweets and treats to a seemingly never-ending swarm of imaginatively attired children, eagerly holding up their bags. The sidewalks are an obstacle course of visual delights. Royalty and robots, animals and anime, svengalis and superheroes — all strolling the streets of the Slope in the afternoon and into the evening.
The 2013 Civic Council Halloween Parade Thursday, Oct. 31, 6:30 p.m. starting point: 14th Street and Seventh Avenue
The parade begins rolling down Seventh Avenue from 14th Street on the night of Oct. 31. Leading the revelry are two carefully driven ambulances, loaded with a cornucopia of candies that the emergency technicians and dedicated volunteers hand out by the bagful. Civic Council trustees and elected officials come next, followed by the real delights of the evening — giant puppets made over the years under the direction of the Puppeteers Cooperative, and dozens of volunteers from Park Slope Parents and local schoolchildren. Next, the costumed denizens of Park Slope, one of the most creative communities in New York City, never cease to amaze the crowd. Mysterious roller skating wraiths, terrific bands, and other unexpected surprises complete the experience, which ends at the Old Stone House and Washington Park on Fifth Avenue between Third and Fourth Streets. Whether you’re a parade volunteer, a participant, or a spectator, the Halloween Parade is beloved and memorable annual event. It’s never too early to start thinking about fantastic costumes with your family and friends! E-mail us at halloween@parkslopeciviccouncil.org.
