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The Best Halloween Parades in New York City for Kids in 2022

Get in costume to strut your stuff at the annual Bronx Halloween Parade. Photo courtesy of the parade organizers
Get in costume to strut your stuff at the annual Bronx Halloween Parade. Photo courtesy of the parade organizers
10/14/22 - By Jody Mercier

There's nothing quite like a neighborhood Halloween parade in NYC. While older kids may want to venture out to the iconic Village Halloween Parade on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, it can be pretty scary—it's always insanely crowded and loud, and many of the costumes are risque, gory, or in poor taste. If your children aren't up for that big Hallow-baloo, there are plenty of smaller, kid-friendly NYC neighborhood Halloween parades in 2022 spread across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, including the mega Jackson Heights Halloween Parade, the famed Park Slope march, and the Hippo Playground Halloween Parade and Bleecker Playground fest for little ones.

Our list of 30+ top NYC Halloween parade picks even includes pet parades and costume contests that allow dogs to line up in fantastic outfits on the Upper East Side, Fort Greene, Long Island City, and more!

Read on for the best 2022 Halloween parades in New York City for families to watch or march in. If you don't live in a great trick-or-treating neighborhood, these Halloween parades are a wonderful way to hunt for candy in another neighborhood. Find more Halloween 2022 fun in our New York City Halloween Fun Guide, which includes our picks for the best FREE Halloween events in NYC.

Note that, in case of rain, some parades may be postponed or canceled. As always, be sure to click through to each event's website before heading out.

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It's a parade of pumpkins and kids during Halloween on the Harlem Meer in northern Central Park. Photo courtesy of Central Park
It's a parade of pumpkins and kids during Halloween on the Harlem Meer in northern Central Park. Photo courtesy of Central Park

NYC Halloween Parades from October 22-28, 2022

Brooklyn Bridge Park's Harvest Festival

Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, October 22
Celebrate the fall season at the 12th-annual harvest festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park. A fun procession kicks off the event, which includes arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games, and more—plus BBP's signature pumpkin patch. READ MORE

37th Annual Bronx Halloween Parade 2022

Foxhurst, the Bronx–FREE
Saturday, October 22
The theme for this year's Bronx Halloween Parade is Mardi Gras. Come in costume to vie for special prizes. Winners are chosen by age group from toddlers to seniors, including cash prizes for winners ages 4+. READ MORE

Pumpkin Parade Weekend

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Saturday, October 22-Sunday, October 23
Some of the country’s largest gourds are on hand for a pumpkin party unlike any other! Get crafty with wands and shakers ahead of the Pumpkin Parade, and costume up to walk down Garden Way with larger-than-life skeletons and acrobats.  READ MORE

Children's Halloween Festival at Bleecker Playground

Greenwich Village–FREE
Sunday, October 23
This annual celebration begins with a toddler-friendly costume parade around the nabe to the Bleecker Street Playground, and includes face painting, craft tables, and trick-or-treating. READ MORE

Halloween on the Harlem Meer: Pumpkin Flotilla

Central Park–FREE
Thursday, October 27
The Harlem Meer comes alive as the sun sets in this annual Halloween favorite. Hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns both spooky and sweet set sail at dusk in New York City's largest pumpkin flotilla. READ MORE

Frying Pan Halloween Bash and Costume Contest

Industry City, Brooklyn–FREE
Friday, October 28
It’s the 1990s. iPhones don’t exist, and Madonna’s Vogue is cranked on the radio. Take that energy into the Halloween weekend with Frying Pan’s '90s Halloween Bash. Dress in all that the '90s gave us, and celebrate with corny decorations, candy, themed drink specials, and a costume contest with Industry City prizes. READ MORE

Halloween Extravaganza and Procession of the Ghouls

Morningside Heights
Friday, October 28
The Cathedral's beloved annual Halloween celebration returns for 2022! Following the screening of a silent classic film with live organ accompaniment, ghouls and goblins from the Mettawee River Theater Company emerge to scare and delight audiences. READ MORE
Kids can show off their costumes along the Promenade at the Brooklyn Heights Halloween Parade. Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Heights Association
Kids can show off their costumes along the Promenade at the Brooklyn Heights Halloween Parade. Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Heights Association

New York City Halloween Parades on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, 2022

Brooklyn Heights Halloween Parade

Brooklyn Heights–FREE
Saturday, October 29
Little revelers can get their grown-ups out the door early for this beloved neighborhood Halloween parade. Kids show off their costumes along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.  READ MORE

F4P Halloween Extravaganza 2022

South Bronx, Bronx–FREE
Saturday, October 29
The Friends of 4 Parks’ annual Halloween extravaganza returns in 2022. Held in the beautiful and spooky Franz Sigel Park, it's packed with tricks and treats, mystery prizes, slime making, and Tarot readings. READ MORE

The Rock and Roll Playhouse: Parade and Trick or Treat

Sunset Park, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, October 29
This week Rock and Roll Playhouse hosts an extra special Fright City Halloween party. The theme is Monster Mash and the rules are to have fun! Ticket holders can pick up a trick-or-treat IC basket from the show and follow the trail through the campus to find all the treats. READ MORE

Second Annual Sutton Spooktacular Celebration

Midtown East–FREE
Saturday, October 29
Sutton Place Parks Conservancy hosts a fun Halloween party, with games, music and magic, an all-day scavenger hunt, goodies, and a costume parade for pooches and kids. READ MORE

Washington Market Park's Annual Halloween Costume Parade and Party

Tribeca–FREE
Sunday, October 30
Washington Market Park gathers the neighborhood ghouls and goblins together for a Halloween party and costume parade. Follow the marching band down Greenwich Street in your Halloween finest. READ MORE

Hester Street Fair Halloween

Lower East Side–FREE
Sunday, October 30
The Hester Street Fair's Pumpkin Fest kicks off with a pumpkin decorating tent at Pier 16. Don't miss the creepy and kooky interactive photo booth, and the annual Halloween costume contest; the grand prize winner gets a gift basket full of donated items from the Hester Street Fair. READ MORE
The Cobble Hill Parade is a fun, homegrown celebration with plenty of cute costumed kids.
The Cobble Hill Parade is a fun, homegrown celebration with plenty of cute costumed kids.

Halloween Parades in NYC on Monday, October 31, 2022

Hippo Playground Halloween Parade

Upper West Side–FREE
The annual Hippo Playground Halloween Parade invites costumed kids to gather at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at 89th Street and Riverside Drive and parade to Hippo Playground. READ MORE

Jackson Heights Halloween Parade

Jackson Heights, Queens–FREE
The Jackson Heights Halloween Parade—NYC’s largest children’s Halloween parade—lines up once again at 89th Street and 37th Avenue and marches down 37th Avenue to PS 69. READ MORE

Dumboween: Halloween March to the Arch

Dumbo, Brooklyn–FREE
Put on your most creative costume, and head to Dumbo for a Halloween March to the Arch. Beginning at Washington Street, between Front and Water Streets, costumed participants parade to the Dumbo Archway, led by live music and puppets. READ MORE

Cobble Hill Halloween Parade

Cobble Hill, Brooklyn–FREE
The Cobble Hill Halloween Parade kicks off from Cobble Hill Park and winds its way throughout the neighborhood, following a big brass band that leads the procession of costumed families down Congress to Henry, around to Warren Street and back to the park. READ MORE

Park Slope Halloween Parade

Park Slope, Brooklyn–FREE
The Park Slope Civic Council hosts the spookiest parade in Park Slope. Marchers line up at 7th Avenue and 14th Street and wind their way to the Old Stone House. Come early to trick or treat. READ MORE

Carnaval Halloween Parade and Party

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Flaunt your fabulous Halloween costumes during a parade at Restoration Plaza, dance to live samba music, and join Angel Kaba as she leads an Afro’Dance Family & Kids workshop including Congolese, Afrobeats, and Caribbean music during the after party. READ MORE

Halloween at BCM

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Halloween is back at BCM with a day of costumed fun and trick-or-treating around the museum’s exhibits. Plus, this year features an extra special treat: some favorite superheroes have offered to stop by and lend us a hand! READ MORE

Halloween Parade on City Island

City Island, the Bronx–FREE
This year’s City Island Halloween parade invites ghouls to gather at Hawkins Park at 5:30pm. Prizes are awarded for the best costumes. READ MORE

BAMboo!

Downtown Brooklyn–FREE
Monday, October 31
BAM’s annual free community Halloween celebration is back, with candy giveaways, carnival games, arts and crafts, music, and a costume contest. READ MORE

50th Annual Village Halloween Parade

West Village–FREE
The world's most famous Halloween parade weaves through the streets of Greenwich Village once again. Upside Down/Inside Out is the theme for the 2023 parade. READ MORE

Washington Square Park/NYU Children's Halloween Parade and Costume Contest

Greenwich Village–FREE
One of the city's largest free children's events on Halloween features live performances, games, treats, and more! Gather at 3pm at the Washington Square Park Arch to begin the parade. READ MORE
Scads of dogs compete for the coveted Great PUPkin rosettes at the Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest. Photo courtesy of the event
Scads of dogs compete for the coveted Great PUPkin rosettes at the Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest. Photo courtesy of the event

Pet Parades for Halloween 2022 in NYC

Vale Park Pumpkin Patch

Williamsburg, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, October 15
The William Vale transforms Vale Park into a family-friendly pumpkin patch for two October Saturdays. Pluck your perfect pumpkin from the patch, then hit the craft tables to transform it into a table-worthy decoration. Scarecrow-making and seasonal drinks for sipping add to the fun. READ MORE

Halloween Howl & Healthy Hound Fair

Upper East Side–FREE
Sunday, October 23
The Howl is Carl Schurz Park's annual dog costume event. More than 200 creatively costumed pups strut their stuff before a blue-chip fashion industry coven of judges. READ MORE

Barktober Fest

Seaport–FREE
Sunday, October 23
Dress up your pup and head down to Seaport Square for the doggie Halloween costume contest . READ MORE

25th Annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest

Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 29
It's time to get your costume—and more importantly, your pup's—ready for Fort Greene Park's annual Halloween Festival and dog costume contest. READ MORE

Halloween Harvest Festival

Long Island City, Queens–FREE
Saturday, October 29
Socrates Sculpture Park's high-flying Halloween harvest festival is back with its 3rd-annual “Flight of the Gourds” pumpkin carving contest and compost launch. Celebrate the autumn season with pumpkin art workshops, creative costume making, face painting, and the epic launch of the pumpkin catapult! READ MORE

Manhattan West Woof Fest: Howl-oween

Midtown West–FREE
Saturday, October 29
Pups can show off their paw-fect costumes on the red carpet to win special prizes, take a keepsake picture in the fall-themed photo booth, and enjoy spooky dog-friendly treats and giveaways. Costumes are encouraged for both attendees and their pets . READ MORE

Halloween Dog Costume Parade on the High Line

Chelsea–FREE
Sunday, October 30
The High Line Hotel hosts its sixth annual dog costume parade, with face painters and dog treats tricking out the hotel’s front garden. The festivities are free to attend. READ MORE

Dog Day Halloween Costume Party and Parade

Greenwich Village–FREE
Sunday, October 30
Celebrate Halloween with the WSP Dog Run Association by dressing your best furry buddy up in costume and competing in the cutest competition around. The first 100 dogs to register get a fabulous treat bag, so pre-registration is strongly encouraged. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
Brooklyn Heights Promenade
City Island Hawkins Park
BAM Peter Jay Sharp Lobby and Lepercq Space
Vale Park at The William Vale
Socrates Sculpture Park