New York Halloween Parade “Snow King” steals the scene, giant fire horse puppet gallops, and Chinese people from LA participate

53rd Greenwich VillageHalloween Village Halloween Parade on October 31stmanhattan This year, with the theme of “Body and Soul,” the creations range from traditional skeletons to dreams and “Firehorse!” extends up to. A giant puppet show has been launched to echo the Year of the Horse. Through cross-dressing, puppetry and dance, it expresses the connection between people.

The costumes of people at the scene were mainly based on horror and horror elements, but there were also creative styles that closely followed popular culture and current affairs. Many people dressed up as “Snow King”, the mascot of Chinese tea brand Mixue Ice City, and took to the streets in groups shouting slogans asking for tips, which was quite eye-catching.

In addition to the classic horror look, there are also people dressed as Nikki, the heroine of this year’s topical horror movie “Obsession”, and characters from the online horror genre “The Backrooms”.

Political and social issues have also become inspirations for cross-dressing. Some people stood behind prison bars dressed as President Trump, which was full of irony; Others held signs reading “AI is a scam,” adding a touch of current events to the lively celebration.

Sugar Julie and her friend Melanie came from out of town to attend the New York Halloween Parade. Melanie made a special trip from Los Angeles to New York, and the two took a 5-hour train from New York to Manhattan early that morning. Both wore characters from the Disney Pixar animated film “Inside Out” as their costume theme. Julie wore a blue sweater and had her eyebrows upturned to mimic the sad face of “Sadness”; Melanie wore an orange sweater and an exaggerated orange wig to transform into “Worry”.

Julie previously studied at Columbia and this was not her first time attending the parade, but for Melanie, it was her first chance to experience a New York Halloween event. The two originally thought they would have to register in advance to attend the parade, but they were surprised to find that people could participate directly. However, both said that their visit was mainly to join in the fun and feel the festive atmosphere, and they did not intend to complete the entire trip.

“Fire Horse” is a new creation this year, a collaboration between puppeteer Basil Twist, who won a MacArthur Genius Grant, and choreographer Julie Atlas Muse. The two used dancing horse puppets to combine puppetry and dance. The organizer also highlighted the image of the Year of the Horse, using the horse’s energy, freedom and unrulyness as the display concept.

This year’s giant puppet creation brings daily life into dreams. Professional Art Workshop, which is responsible for the official giant dolls, designed 12 sleeping dolls wearing pajamas and glowing with an “out of body” theme, matching the sloping house with open windows.

The zombie dance has been a feature of the parade that has been retained for many years. Thriller NYC has been participating in the event since 2004, choreographing a group dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Members range from dance beginners to professional dancers, each creating their own costumes and makeup. Newcomers must attend two rehearsals. Apart from learning dance steps, they also practice moving and coordinating with the group’s movements.

Compared to this year’s Body, Dance and Dream, the 2025 parade theme was “It’s a Potluck!” Based on the concept of a shared table where each person brings a dish, it emphasizes sharing and accepting strangers, and is led by City Harvest, a non-profit organization that recycles leftover food and helps citizens in need.