Twitter: @danieluh
In the days before Halloween last year, the streets of Greenwich Village were locked and ready for one of the most iconic and anticipated seasonal events in NYC, the 39th annual Village Halloween Parade. But then Hurricane Sandy rolled up the East Coast, leaving devastation in its path. In the midst of the chaos, the Parade was cancelled for the first time in its 40 year history.
But what is special about the Village Parade is that although it is a carefree celebration to wear extravagant costumes alongside 50,000 people and revel in the spirit of Halloween(and drunkenness), it has stood for unity in the many tragedies and devastations that have struck NYC and the world for the past 40 years. The Parade was the first major NYC event following 9/11, led by a giant Phoenix puppet that symbolized that the city would rise again. The parade also hosted refugees after Hurricane Katrina, and commissioned Haitian carnival puppets after the Haiti Earthquake, providing an event to lift spirits and engage the global community.
And after Hurricane Sandy, the beloved Parade fell silent and months of planning and $50,000 were lost. And this is where WE come in! Although the losses are massive for the small non for profit organization that throws the Village Parade, the number of people who believe in its legacy are anything but small. It’s thrown by a group of passionate individuals with loads of creative, and inspiring volunteers who believe in the spirit of the Parade- to bring people together with free expression and love.
There are only 5 days left to contribute to their Kickstarter, and if fully funded, 5 days closer to bringing back one of the many gems that make NYC the best city in the world.