Clear skies are what the organizers of the 26th Annual Throggs Neck Halloween Parade are hoping for. It is set to take place on Saturday, October 31.
Barring any inclement weather, the popular costume parade will begin formation next to the Throgs Neck Little League Field, located at Throgs Neck Boulevard and Harding Avenue, at 11:30 a.m. for a noon kickoff.
The parade of costumed children and their parents will wind its way up to E. Tremont Avenue, down Sampson Avenue, along the Throgs Neck Expressway service road, and back to the field. Afterwards, there will be a fun afternoon street fair of food, rides, games, giveaways, and other goodies until 4 p.m. A Halloween costume contest for children in different age groups up to age 12 will take place, with winners taking home trophies and cash prizes.
Assemblyman Michael Benedetto is taking the lead as the parade’s main sponsor, and is joined by Congressman Joseph Crowley, Senator Jeff Klein and Councilman James Vacca.
The celebration has been a fixture in Throggs Neck since it first began under the sponsorship of Assemblyman John Dearie, and continued with Assemblyman Steven Kaufman and the Throggs Neck Home Owners Association throwing the spooky celebration.
“This year the winners of the Halloween costume contest – first, second, and third place in each age category – will receive trophies and money,” said Rocco Talarico, the vice-president of TNHOA who has been working the parade for the past 14 years. “We are having a D.J. this year, there will be a zeppoli stand, and Patricia’s Restaurant on E. Tremont Avenue is going to be selling sausage and peppers, hot dogs, and hamburgers.”
The rides include bouncies, a large slide, and a merry-go-round. There will also be face-painting, other fun activities, and a lot of free give-aways and raffles.
For the past four years a string of bad weather has brought the parade indoors to Villa Barone.
These events included jugglers, stilt-walkers, spin-art, removable play tattoos, and the stuffed animal making Bear Bus. Much of the same can be expected at this year’s parade.
