TN Halloween Parade Celebrates 30th Year

TN Halloween Parade Celebrates 30th Year

Throggs Neck will hail a spook-tacular Halloween milestone this year.

The 30th annual Throggs Neck Halloween Parade steps off Saturday, Oct. 26th, expected to draw hundreds of costumed children.

Throggs Neck Little League Field will serve as the parade’s Halloween headquarters, with raffles, carnival rides and a Build-A-Bear station on hand, and a multi-age costume contest with winners taking home prizes for best costume..

“The Throggs Neck parade has developed into the single largest Bronx event,” said Assemblyman Mike Benedetto, the parade’s lead sponsor. “Certainly the largest event in Throggs Neck.”

Benedetto’s carried the Halloween torch since taking office in 2004, when the parade, launched by former Assemblyman John Dearie in 1983, hit its 23rd year.

These days, Benedetto gets help from Congressman Joe Crowley, Councilman Jimmy Vacca and Sen. Jeff Klein contributing to the event.

As kids pick up goodie bags, adults can nosh on some fall-off-the-bone barbecue courtesy of the FDNY’s smokehouse pit. The Bravest will also dole out fire prevention tips.

The parade will form at Throggs Neck Blvd. and Harding Avenue at 11:30 a.m., and step off at noon, working its way up E. Tremont Avenue to the E. 177th Street service road, and back to the field.

This year’s event is a departure from the past few years, when rainy days forced organizers to cram Villa Barone Manor.

“We decided to keep our fingers crossed, say our prayers, and hope for the best,” said Benedetto.

Ben Randazzo, Benedetto’s chief of staff, now expects the numbers to jump two-fold.

“If we have it outside we can get two-thousand people,” said Randazzo, who’s coordinating the event.

Over the years, Randazzo’s noticed a collection of creative costumes hit the parade, with some very creative outfits thanks to some outside-the-box thinking from parents.

David Cruz can be reach via e-mail at DCruz@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3383