After some uncertainty, the beloved Village Halloween Parade will definitely return this year thanks in part to a devoted parade fan who donated enough for organizers to put on the event.
The parade set a $150,000 goal, and according to their fundraising page, 181 donors chipped in a little more than $10,000. Jason Feldman and his wife Missy apparently made up the difference.
"When I heard on the news that the annual Village Halloween Parade was going to be canceled for lack of funds, I was devastated. I immediately felt called to save the parade, and to make a difference for our city," Feldman, who works in finance, said in a statement. "Honestly, as a native New Yorker I love this parade so much I don’t really think I had a choice. I know it’s not literally the shot in the arm most people are looking for, but I would suggest it’s the best medicine for our city."
The parade, which goes along Sixth Avenue, from Spring Street in SoHo up to 16th Street in Chelsea, was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. This year, organizers have a COVID policy—"We encourage everyone to wear a mask! That should be easy because it’s Halloween! Be creative with it—both spectators and participants! We require Parade participants to wear their mask in the line up area before the Parade begins. Once participants enter the Parade route north of Spring St, masks are encouraged, but not required."
Read More: New York’s Village Halloween Parade Begins in a Barn Upstate
This year, organizers are asking children to submit drawings for the parade's giant puppets which kick off the march (the deadline is October 13th). And the grand marshal is Randy Rainbow, who will not be singing his tribute to Andrew Cuomo where he declares himself a "Cuomosexual."
Halloween takes place on a Sunday this year, so the Sunday Scaries will be more real than ever.
