NYC Halloween Parade 2024 route map, start time and road closures

NEW YORK -- New York City's annual Village Halloween Parade returned for 2024, with spooky costumes and street closures. 

Get into the Halloween spirit at the parade or the official after party channeling this year's theme: "Meow."

"On Halloween night, NY's Halloween Parade calls on Cat Ladies of every purr-suasion to don your finest tails and whiskers, and join the Ball," the parade website says. 

Here's everything to know about the parade: 

Map shows NYC Halloween Parade route 

The 51st annual parade marched through Manhattan's West Village. It started at Canal Street and Sixth Avenue, then it traveled up Sixth Avenue to West 15th Street. 

Spectators watched from either side of Sixth Avenue between King and West 15th streets. Organizers said the area from Bleecker to West 14th streets is usually the most crowded.

The parade was free and open for the public to watch or join in costume. VIP tickets were also available to secure prime viewing spots. 

What time does the NYC Halloween Parade start?

The parade stepped off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31 and ended around 11 p.m. 

Sunset was shortly before 6 p.m., roughly an hour before the start time. It's an unseasonably warm Halloween this year, and temperatures were expected to be in the low 70s.

Organizers said there was also be an after party at Webster Hall. It started at 9 p.m., with a costume contest at midnight.

Mass transit to the NYC Halloween Parade

Parade organizers asked people to leave their vehicles home and take the train. That said, the following service and station changes were in effect: 

• Trains will bypass the Spring Street C/E station in the southbound direction from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• The northbound side of the Spring Street C/E station will be exit-only
• After 10 p.m., southbound A trains run local from 59th Street to Canal Street
• After midnight, northbound A trains operate via the Rutgers Tube
• After midnight, southbound F trains operate via the Cranberry Tube
• 14 Street-6 Avenue L/F/M station: The 16th Street side will be exit-only, the 14th Street side will be open
• West 4th Street A/B/C/D/E/F/M station: Street entrances will become exit or entrance only at various times
• Buses along Sixth Avenue will be re-routed from just after 6:00 p.m. until the parade is over

NYC Halloween Parade street closures

For those driving, the NYPD said the following streets would be closed Thursday evening: 

Formation:

• 6th Avenue between Spring Street and Canal Street
• Dominick Street between Varick Street and 6th Avenue
• Sullivan Street between Broome Street and Spring Street
• Broome Street between Sullivan Street and Varick Street
• Spring Street between Sullivan Street and Varick Street

Route:

• 6th Avenue between Spring Street and West 18th Street

Dispersal:

• West 16th Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue
• West 17th Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue
• West 18th Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue
• 5th Avenue between 14th Street and 19th Street
• 7th Avenue between 14th Street and 19th Street

Miscellaneous:

• West 10th Street between 6th Avenue and Greenwich Avenue
• Van Dam Street between Varick Street and 5th Avenue

The city also celebrated Halloween with 147 open streets across the five boroughs and more than 100 car-free events. For more of the Halloween spirit around the area, watch our Snapshot New York special. 

In:
• Greenwich Village
• Manhattan
• Halloween
• East Village