Village Halloween Parade 2026: Body & Soul on Sixth Avenue

At a Glance

What

New York’s Village Halloween Parade

When

Saturday, October 31, 2026; 7 p.m. start

Where

Sixth Avenue, Lower Manhattan

Route

North toward West 15th Street; marchers assembled at Canal Street

Admission

Free public viewing and general participation; paid VIP options

Coverage

Explore coverage ↓

Details

What to Know ↓

TheNakedNYC coverage

InstagramNov 1, 2026View on @thenakednyc

Village Halloween Parade 2026: Body & Soul on Sixth Avenue

Thousands of costumed revelers filled Greenwich Village on October 31 for the 53rd Village Halloween Parade. This year’s theme connected skeletons, imagination and dance, inviting participants to rediscover physical expression in a world increasingly experienced through screens.

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What to Know

• Body & Soul

  Artistic and producing director Jeanne Fleming’s theme paired the body with the skeleton and the soul with imagination. Dance brought the two together.

• Skeleton tradition

  The organizers describe the skeletons that lead the parade each year as figures connecting the physical world with the spirit realm on Halloween.

• Grand marshal

  Joey Arias, the cabaret singer, drag performer and longtime downtown artist, was named the 2026 grand marshal.

• Puppet design

  Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles of Processional Arts Workshop developed “Out of Body,” a dream-inspired concept with luminous sleeping figures, a tilting house and everyday objects taking flight.

• Open participation

  Anyone in costume could join the procession. Its participatory format brings the public into the performance alongside artists, musicians and puppeteers.

• Neighborhood origins

  Puppeteer and mask maker Ralph Lee began the tradition as a neighborhood walk for his children and their friends. Giant puppetry remains central to its identity.

• Scale

  The organizers describe it as the world’s largest Halloween celebration of its kind.