Today Halloween has developed into a festival of costumes, drinking, and the celebration of human spirit. One of the best places that the Halloween tradition can be seen is in the Village Halloween Parade, which takes place yearly on Halloween on 6th Avenue in Greenwich Village N.Y. In this celebration, crowds of men and women dressed in extravagant robes march down 6th Avenue in celebration of life. Men dressing as women and women dressing as men is a common practice in this "upside down" festival.
Originally a gay event, the Village Halloween Parade has been celebrated for about twenty four years. Today it draws all aspects of people looking to celebrate the Halloween tradition. It has been televised for the past couple of years on New York 1. The size of the parade is what has changed the most. From about 150 people participating in the parade the first year, it has grown to over a million and a half people participating today.
Although the costumes are still inspired by a gay aesthetic, the streets these days can be a less than gay-friendly environment, with a number of gay bashings each year. The Halloween parade offers people a chance to come and celebrate the holiday and be anything they want to be. Though the parade has changed throughout the years, it is a more diverse celebration which has grown from its gay origin.
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Happy Halloween, Sunday Night, October 31, 2004.
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