Save The Date: Nyack’s Halloween Parade Is Back!

NYACK, NY — After a two-year pandemic hiatus, the annual Halloween Parade in Nyack — the biggest and craziest outside of New York City, its organizers vow — is scheduled for Oct. 29.

That gives you a month to make your costume, though of course some groups have already started working on their entry.

"For people who love the scary fun and pageantry of Halloween, Nyack is the place to be for the best parade, costumes, parties, trick-or-treating and all-out wacky celebrations," said Roger Cohen, president of the Nyack Chamber of Commerce.

Building on a history of record-breaking crowds, over 10,000 parade spectators are expected to line the streets of Main and Broadway in Nyack for the fun-filled, family-friendly event, featuring marching bands, festooned fire trucks, fantasmagorical floats and a host of costumed revelers.

Prizes will be awarded to the most creative among the parade's participants. The winner of this year’s Best Float competition will score a $500 cash prize. Floats taking second and third place will receive $250 and $100 prizes respectively.

What's more, for the first time this year, pets with the most creative Halloween regalia can compete for high-end salon services, such as a full service bath, brush and trim, a creative color dye, or a nail trim and file. (Who doesn’t need that?) Prizes are donated by Nyack businesses:

• Breakfast & Burger Club
• Hotel Nyack
• Joey G’s Food Tours
• Modern Druid
• Paws on Main
• Pickwick Bookstore
• Turiello's Pizzeria

All are welcome to march in the parade and compete for prizes.

All contestants check in on parade day in Memorial Park for confirmation and photography. Marchers and floats will assemble at 3 p.m. for check-in and contest judging in Memorial Park at the corner of Depew and Piermont streets.

Registration (required for prize eligibility) and judging will continue until 5 p.m., followed by the parade step-off at 5:30 pm. Prize contestants – both costumes and floats — are encouraged to pre-register online at nyackchamber.org to speed up the process on parade day.

The much-anticipated prize award ceremony for costumes and floats will begin immediately after the parade at the Main and Cedar gazebo in the center of town.

Parade-goers will enjoy a variety of special (‘barely alive’!) live talent, including Nyack and Nanuet high school marching bands. Additional highlights include Vince Mocerino’s Deadsled, Texas Chain Saw truck, Suburbia Roller Derby of Westchester, Hudson Valley Harley Riders, True 20ne Unicycle Club, Skateboard Wizards and Limitskate, an array of spooky classic cars, local fire departments showing off their best very scary (and very clean) machines — and of course, the weirdest and wackiest costumes this side of the grave.

Famous Frankie D and the Boyz — perennial favorites at the Nyack celebration — will provide live music all afternoon before and during the parade in the gazebo. Dancing is optional, but encouraged.

Post-parade parties will continue into the evening … with the traditional costume madness and live music at Casa del Sol across Main Street from the Gazebo and other establishments in the village.

For the deadly serious, parade sponsor Hotel Nyack will host a swanky costume party with music, dancing, passed hors d'oeuvres and four-hour open bar in the Hotel’s private ballroom (400 High Avenue, Nyack). The revelry runs from 8 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are on sale now through Eventbrite with a discount available until Sept. 30.

To get the spooky vibe going for the parade, students from Nyack High School will be painting the village store windows on Oct. 20 with appropriately monstrous themes. Plus, families and kids of all ages can get “psyched” ahead of time at the Nyack Farmers Market on Oct. 27 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Main Street parking lot). Kids can enjoy crafts and stories with parent volunteers from the Nursery School of the Nyacks. Music will help create the ghostly mood for all.

"The Nyack Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to bring back Halloween celebrations after a two-year break,” said Cohen, thanking in particular chamber members Hotel Nyack and Nyack Ridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center for helping make the 2022 parade possible through their generous sponsorships. "We’ve been doing the parade for over 30 years, and look forward to haunting the Hudson Valley for a least another 30."

Nyack’s Main Street and South Broadway will be closed for the day’s celebrations. The parade route from Memorial Park (Depew and Piermont streets): south on Piermont Avenue, west on Cedar Hill, north on Broadway, west on Main Street, south on Franklin Street and finally east on Artopee.

REGISTRATION for marchers and prize contestants:

• Nyack Halloween Parade 2022 Costume Contest Registration Form
• Nyack Halloween Parade 2022 Float Contest Registration Form