Annual Halloween Parade Sparkles In Greenwich Village
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- One of the city's most colorful events was working its way up Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village this evening.
The annual Village Halloween Parade stepped off at 7 p.m.
The wildly creative parade stretches for more than a mile along Sixth Avenue from Spring Street to 16th Street.
Annual Halloween Parade Sparkles In Greenwich Village
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Along with marchers in costume, the parade features dancers, giant puppets and dozens of bands.
This year's grand marshal was actor and TV personality Whoopi Goldberg, who was on a float representing the parade's theme, "The Garden of Earthly Delights."
Among the participants Friday was Dr. Jane Testa, who sported a ``hammer out Ebola'' costume featuring a hazmat suit, flashing lights and a large version of the virus, made of balloons. She was holding a balloon hammer.
She says she made the costume ``to raise awareness.'' She says her heart goes out to those infected.
Another costume spotted by 1010 WINS' Derricke Dennis was a woman dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, and her boyfriend dressed as a wolf.
"We came up with this idea. It was just top of the head, top of the head – just like that," the man said.
"I like it," the woman added. "It was his idea. He's a brilliant guy."
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This year's parade theme is Garden of Earthly Delights. The definition of delight depended on how spooky, deadly or downright creative paradegoers wanted to be.
People were backed up for blocks waiting to enter Friday night's parade route.
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The parade started in 1973.
In 2012, Superstorm Sandy forced the last-minute cancellation of the event.
Last year, the parade ran into financial trouble and there was talk of canceling it again. But organizers put out a plea for online donations and raised the money needed to put night creatures back on the streets.
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'Trick or treat.' They are the three words that kids across the Tri-State area have wanted to say for a year.
From Mineola, Long Island to Secaucus, New Jersey trick or treaters of all ages say it's a no brainer, they told CBS2's Weijia Jiang that you can't go wrong with costumes and candy.
Most people like Halloween because of how sweet it is. Others like it because it's so spooky.
"I like to see all the scary houses too," James Dahl, Middle Village Queens, said.
Dahl said his favorite haunt is a neighborhood landmark in Middle Village.
Patrick Kenniff started decorating his house 10-years-ago.
"I had my daughter, we started doing it together. Then it got out of control," he said.
The wild ornaments, elaborate lights, and balloon figures take two weeks to set up.
"We've been decorating and having so much fun," Skye Kenniff said.
There was plenty of fun in Harlem too where a flash mob thrilled a huge crowd with Michael Jackson's 'Thriller.' It was the perfect treat to end the day.
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