By: Maxwell Schuss
As spooky ghosts and ghouls took to the streets Sunday afternoon expecting a sunny Washington Market Park Halloween Parade, the weather unfortunately had other plans. A torrential downpour caused families and band members dressed in costumes to congregate under the large awning of Tribeca’s Grill. Despite the rainfall, they filled the neighborhood with uplifting music and joy.
For years Washington Market Park, in downtown Manhattan, has held its annual Halloween Parade. Families and members of the community dress up in their favorite costumes and gather on Greenwich Street to march towards a spookified park. The parade is led by the Queer Big Apple Corps, a marching band composed of members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. “Being here is a tradition we had to uphold,” said Marita Begley, the director of the marching band. “We absolutely love playing for the kids and seeing them in their amazing costumes!” Sunday’s weather conditions did not allow for the traditional parade, yet the musicians played on.
Percussionists stood at the corner of Franklin Street, as brass and wind instruments lined up along Greenwich. It took four band leaders to keep the beat together due to the impromptu positioning. Families assembled along the sidewalk and danced underneath the comfort of their umbrellas.
“We’ve been going to the parade for years,” said Tribeca resident Sarah Schaffer. She and her 7-year-old daughter dressed in matching princess costumes and walked over to the park, hoping to engage in the usual festivities. “The rain is a drag but it hasn’t dampened anyone’s spirits.” Schaffer said she loved that so many people showed up to give their support to the band and continued to dance as the rain poured down. “It says a lot about the community. They made the best out of a bad situation,” she said.
Photo credit: Maxwell Schuss
Two blocks away sat Washington Market Park, empty and soaked. Spooky Halloween decorations, pumpkin patches, and tables piled with candy were awaiting a parade that never came. Eventually, families got word of the Halloween-themed Park and slowly filed in for some sweets. “Rain or shine we were going to have the parade,” said Monica Forrestall, member of The Friends of Washington Market Park, a non-profit organization that produces free public events in the park. “It means a lot to the kids and we thank the incredible community for coming out despite the conditions.”
Forrestall reminisced about the Halloween Parade they held the day before Hurricane Sandy hit New York City in 2012. “You could feel the wind picking up, all the volunteers had left the event, and yet there was the band. They marched into the park, surrounded by ecstatic kids jumping and dancing around on a sugar rush,” she said. “The band performed on the lawn and it made me teary-eyed because it felt like the city was invincible.”