What is the largest Halloween parade in the United States?

The largest Halloween parade in the United States is New York City’s Village Halloween Parade.

Held annually in Greenwich Village on Halloween night, the parade is widely described as the world’s largest Halloween parade and the largest public Halloween celebration of its kind in the United States. It is known for giant puppets, elaborate costumes, marching bands, dancers, and street performers rather than for a conventional lineup of floats.

Greenwich Village puppeteer and mask maker Ralph Lee initiated the event on October 31, 1974. What began as a neighborhood spectacle grew into a major New York tradition. The parade’s open format is unusual: many participants can join simply by appearing in costume at the starting point, rather than registering as formal marching groups.

The parade is sometimes confused with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but that event takes place in November and is not a Halloween celebration. The Village parade’s frequently cited attendance figures distinguish costumed participants from spectators, making “largest” dependent on the measure used.