Guys and gals dressed as gremlins and goblins will be strutting their stuff on Sat Oct 24 at 5:30 at Nyack’s 28th annual Halloween Parade. Earlier in the day, get in the Halloween mood with a costume-optional 5k race at 9a and live music on Main Street at 3p.
With an annual crowd of about 25,000 spectators, the Nyack Halloween Parade is the largest parade in the region, second only to the march in Greenwich Village.
Registered contestants in the Nyack Halloween Parade can take home a cash prize up to $200 in one of seven categories. But the big money is in the Best Float competition, where the top dog takes home $750 with 2nd and 3rd place finishers collecting $500 and $250 respectively.
Three of Rockland County’s top marching bands — Nyack High School, Nanuet High School and Clarkstown North High School bands — will keep the beat for local fire departments, the Rockland Boulders, the Suburbia Roller Derby of Westchester and the Hudson Valley Harley Riders, among other participating groups.
2014 Honorable Mention Winner, “Tappan Zee RIP” – The Loehrke Family
Prior to the parade, there’s a fun run in the morning and live music in the afternoon. From 3-5p, you can listen to the music performed by the Clearwater Chorus and Dave Reiss and Friends. At 9a, the Village of Nyack holds its second annual Halloween costume run, the Witch Way 5K. Kids aged three and older rule at 9:45a in the Boo Run 1K. Both events start at Memorial Park at Depew and Piermont Aves. Both benefit The Nyack Center. Register online at RaceAwesome.com.
2014 Halloween Parade. Photo Credit: Ray Wright
Marchers and floats will assemble at 4p in Memorial Park at the corner of Depew and Piermont Streets in downtown Nyack. The parade steps off at 5:30p. Nyack’s Main Street and South Broadway will be closed from 2:30p- 8p.
More than 130 contestants competed in the costume categories last year including John Mulgrew, who won first prize in the 18-years-and-older category for his “Scandal in the Wind” costume – an ingenious reinterpretation of the famous Marilyn Monroe dress-on-the-subway grate scene.
Last year, the Nyack Boat Club took Best Float honors, for its “Eye Lift New York” entry with Elmwood Playhouse placing second (“Sunday in the Park With George”) and “Have a Heart VCS Pride” finishing third.
After the parade, the party continues at the Nyack Center’s for a “Monster Mash” family friendly party with live music, dancing and a dinner buffet from 6:30-9p.
The Nyack Halloween Parade is produced by the Nyack Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Guinness, Oak Beverages, and The Time hotel. Clear skies and temperatures in the upper 50’s are predicted for Sat afternoon. But if there is a change in the weather, the rain date for the 2015 parade is Sunday, October 25.
See also:
- ICYMI: Halloween Window Decorations in Downtown Nyack (Oct 2014)
- ICYMI: 2014 Nyack Halloween Parade
- Nyack Chamber of Commerce Halloween Parade page
