“Is it Halloween yet?” Not quite. But Halloween is a question haunting kids of all ages, especially those who want to get a jump on crafting their costumes for the big event in Nyack.
After a two-year pandemic halt, the famous parade is coming back on Saturday, October 29. (Rain date Sunday, October 30.) Festivities begin at 3:00 pm and continue into the evening. Nyack’s Main Street and South Broadway will be closed for the day’s celebrations. The parade will step off promptly at 5:30 pm.
Hosted by the Nyack Chamber of Commerce, the Nyack Halloween parade is the biggest outside New York City, second in magnitude only to the Greenwich Village event ― and just as spectacular on the “wow” meter for color, pageantry and unabashed craziness.
“For people who love the scary fun and pageantry of Halloween, Nyack is the place to be for the best parade, costumes, parties, trick-or-treating and all-out wacky celebrations,” said Roger Cohen, President, Nyack Chamber.
Building on a history of record-breaking crowds, over 10,000 parade spectators are expected to line the streets of Main and Broadway in Nyack for this fun-filled, family-friendly event, featuring marching bands, festooned fire trucks, fantasmagorical floats and a host of costumed revelers. Great prizes will be awarded to the most creative among the parade’s participants.
The winner of this year’s Best Float competition will score a $500 cash prize. Floats taking second and third place will receive $250 and $100 prizes respectively.
In the costume categories, winners will get a ‘piece of Nyack’ — a variety of experiences at Nyack favorites. Highlights include free food, parties, gift certificates for cool merchandise, hotel stays, and even local food tours for groups. Among the fun prizes for kids are a make-your-own waffle or pancake party for four at the Breakfast & Burger Club, a gift certificate for Pickwick Bookstore, and a free large pizza from Turiello’s Pizzeria.
What’s more, for the first time this year, pets with the most creative Halloween regalia can compete for high-end salon services, such as a full service bath, brush and trim, a creative color dye, or a nail trim and file. (Who doesn’t need that?)
Prizes are donated by Nyack businesses:
• Breakfast & Burger Club
• Hotel Nyack
• Joey G’s Food Tours
• Modern Druid
• Paws on Main
• Pickwick Bookstore
• Turiello’s Pizzeria
All are welcome to march in the parade and compete for prizes. Marchers and floats will assemble at 3:00 pm for check-in and contest judging in Memorial Park at the corner of Depew and Piermont streets in downtown Nyack. Registration is required for prize eligibility. Registration and judging will continue until 5:00 pm, followed by the parade step-off at 5:30 pm. (See below for parade route.)
Prize contestants – both costumes and floats – are encouraged to pre-register online to speed up the process on parade day. All contestants should plan to check in on parade day in Memorial Park for confirmation and photography.
The much-anticipated prize award ceremony for costumes and floats will begin immediately after the parade at the Main and Cedar gazebo in the center of town.
Parade-goers will enjoy a variety of special (‘barely alive’!) live talent, including Nyack and Nanuet high school marching bands. Additional highlights include Vince Mocerino’s Deadsled, Texas Chain Saw truck, Suburbia Roller Derby of Westchester, Hudson Valley Harley Riders, True 20ne Unicycle Club, Skateboard Wizards and Limitskate, an array of spooky classic cars, local fire departments showing off their best very scary (and very clean) machines — and of course, the weirdest and wackiest costumes this side of the grave.
Famous Frankie D and the Boyz — perennial favorites at the Nyack celebration — will provide live music all afternoon before and during the parade in the Gazebo at Cedar and Main Streets. Dancing is optional, but encouraged.
Post-parade parties will continue into the evening…with the traditional costume madness and live music at Casa del Sol across Main Street from the Gazebo and other establishments in the village.
For the deadly serious, parade sponsor Hotel Nyack will host a swanky costume party with music, dancing, passed hors d’oeuvres and four-hour open bar in the Hotel’s private ballroom (400 High Avenue, Nyack). The revelry runs from 8:00 to midnight. Tickets are on sale now through Eventbrite.
So back to the first question: “Is it Halloween yet?” Not quite, but to get the spooky vibe going for the parade, students from Nyack High School will be painting the village store windows on October 20 with appropriately monstrous themes. Plus, families and kids of all ages can get “psyched” ahead of time at the Nyack Farmers Market on October 27 (8:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Main Street parking lot). Kids can enjoy crafts and stories with parent volunteers from the Nursery School of the Nyacks. Music will help create the ghostly mood for all.
“The Nyack Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to bring back Halloween celebrations after a two-year break,” said Cohen. “Chamber members Hotel Nyack and Nyack Ridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center have helped make the 2022 parade possible through their generous sponsorships.”
“We’ve been doing the parade for over 30 years, and look forward to haunting the Hudson Valley for a least another 30.”
PARADE ROUTE from Memorial Park (Depew and Piermont streets):
· South on Piermont Avenue
· West on Cedar Hill
· North on Broadway
· West on Main Street
· South on Franklin Street
· East on Artopee
