Dancing Ghouls, Circus Performers, A Costume Contest, Oh My!
Nyack’s downtown storefronts are painted. And department stores have their Christmas products on display. It must be that frightful time of year again: Halloween! In Nyack that means a weekend full of fun. On Saturday the Nyack Chamber of Commerce will host its 29th annual Halloween Parade. The event is the largest parade of its kind outside New York City, second only in magnitude to the Greenwich Village event — and just as spectacular in terms of color and sheer pageantry.
Building on a history of record-breaking crowds, over 15,000 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, floats and a host of costumed revelers — with serious cash prizes, totaling over $2,000, going to the most creative among the parade’s participants. All are welcome to march and register for prizes. Marchers and floats will assemble at 3:00p for registration and judging in Memorial Park at the corner of Depew and Piermont Streets in downtown Nyack.
Parade-goers will enjoy a variety of special talent, including three of Rockland County’s top marching bands representing Nyack, Nanuet and Clarkstown schools. Additional parade highlights include performers from the Amazing Grace Circus!, the Suburbia Roller Derby of Westchester, Hudson Valley Harley Riders, Rockland Boulders, an array of classic cars, local fire departments showing off their best machines — and of course, the scariest and wackiest costumes this side of Manhattan.
“For people who love the spooky fun and pageantry of Halloween, the best parade, costumes, parties, trick-or-treating and all-out wacky celebration, Nyack is the place to be,“ said Scott Baird, President, Nyack Chamber.
How to Register
The winner of this year’s Best Float competition will take home a $750 cash prize. Floats winning second and third place will receive $500 and $250 respectively. Prizes for costumes will be awarded in multiple categories, with awards ranging from $25 to $200. Judging and registration conclude at 5:00p, followed by the parade step-off at 5:30p.
Details on participating in and viewing the parade are listed on the Nyack Chamber of Commerce’s website: www.nyackchamber.org. To register your float, join as a marcher, or contribute as a sponsor, go to the Chamber website or call the Chamber office at 845-353-2221.
Beware
Nyack’s Main Street and South Broadway will be closed from approximately 2:30 pm to 8:00 pm for the parade activities.
For those who want to keep the festivities going into Sunday, Nyack Village will be hosting a ½ mile fun run for kids on October 30 at 9:00 a.m., with registration beginning at 8:00 a.m. in the Artopee Way parking lot behind the Veteran’s Memorial Gazebo. Costumes are encouraged but optional. More information and registration materials are available at www.nyack-ny.gov.
Dave Reiss & Friends will kick off the live entertainment at 3:00 pm in the Main Street parking lot, with Jamie’s Faces providing face painting and tattoos nearby on Main Street for kids of all ages who want to enhance their Halloween look. Jeff Rubin will keep the music and fun going in Memorial Park as costume contestants register for prizes and assemble for the parade.
The much-anticipated prize awards ceremony will begin immediately after the parade. Live music and dancing, beginning earlier in the day, will continue in the Main Street parking lot after the awards, with music provided by Frankie D and the Boys.
Many of Nyack’s restaurants and night-time establishments will also be hosting festive post-parade parties.
Also following the parade, Halloween revelers can go to the Nyack Center’s 10th annual “Monster Mash” party featuring music, dancing, dinner buffet — and lots of spooky family fun. The party goes from 6:30 to 9:00pm. The Center is located at Depew and South Broadway in Nyack. More information is available at www.nyackcenter.org.