NYC's 53rd Village Halloween Parade Draws Thousands With 'Body and Soul' Theme

New York City's 53rd Village Halloween Parade stepped off Saturday evening, October 31, drawing thousands of spectators to the streets of downtown Manhattan. The event began at 7 p.m. under the theme "Body and Soul," celebrating the connection between the skeleton, imagination, and dance. The route travels up Sixth Avenue from King Street to West 15th Street, with organizers noting that the stretch between Bleecker and 14th Street tends to draw the densest crowds. A highlight of the evening was the parade's iconic "Thriller" performance, in which a large troop of dancers transforms into zombies to re-enact the choreography from Michael Jackson's famous music video. The parade is free to watch, and anyone in a costume is welcome to join the march by lining up at the corner of Canal and Sixth Avenue between 6:30 and 9 p.m. The New York City Department of Transportation put extensive street closures in place along and around the parade route to accommodate the event.