More than 1,000 kids put on their trick-or-treating gear and headed to the People’s Playground on Oct. 26 for the Fourth Annual Coney Island Children’s Halloween Parade.
A dazzling array of pint-sized monsters, princesses, comic book heroes, and movie stars strutted down the Boardwalk from MCU Park at W. 19th Street to Luna Park at W. 10th Street in a display of creepy seasonal spirit. But the fun didn’t end there.
The children — ranging from babies to age 15 — enjoyed a music and magic show at the ballpark to kick off the day-long freakfest, along with costumed characters and face-painting.
After the parade down the iconic wooden Boardwalk, Luna Park treated the tots to four hours of unlimited rides, plus a free ticket to the New York Aquarium. The tykes also got a load of free candy courtesy of new sweets shop IT’SUGAR at the corner of Stillwell and Surf avenues.
Organizers called the costumed cavalcade a sign of the area’s year-long recuperation from the wounds of Hurricane Sandy. Last year, the event attracted only about 600 participants on the weekend before that devastating storm.
“This year’s parade is unique in its celebration of Coney Island’s vibrancy and resiliency,” said Johanna Zaki, spokeswoman for the Alliance for Coney Island business group, a co-sponsor of the event. “It highlights how far the community has come in its recovery and how dedicated residents are to re-establishing celebrated neighborhood traditions.”
The annual phantasmagorical festival is co-sponsored by the Alliance with Dick Zigun’s Coney Island USA, and local Councilman Domenic Recchia (D–Coney Island).
