Scenes from Halloween 2026 in the East Village

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Halloween scenes from yesterday... afternoon into evening...

A Trick-or-Streets FYI

ICYMI: Two neighborhood blocks are getting into the Halloween spirit today with Trick or Streets celebrations. 

On Avenue B between Third and Seventh Streets, festivities run from 2:30 to 6 p.m., featuring a photo booth by Kuki Go, musical performances by Guachinangos and Batingua Drum & Dance, games and more. 

Meanwhile, Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B hosts its fifth annual Trick or Streets celebration from 3 to 6 p.m., with car-free trick-or-treating, harvest and Halloween-themed activities for all ages and abilities.

Both events are part of the city's Open Streets program. More details are available at nyc.gov/trickorstreets.

A Halloween night with Edgar Allan Poe at the New York City Marble Cemetery

The New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street is opening its gates for a late-night Halloween gathering devoted to Edgar Allan Poe. 

Part of the People's Poetry Gathering, "A Night of Nightmares, Ghost Tales and Poems!" takes place TONIGHT from 10:30 to midnight. 

 The evening features Toni Blackman as "The Raven," poet Bob Holman reading "Brain Fever," which organizers describe as a newly discovered Poe poem, and Haitian poet Denizé Lauture offering a Creole-inflected interpretation of "Annabel Lee." 

Organizers invite attendees to "huddle with us as we raise Poe and his kindred spirits from their mysterious resting places." 

The New York City Marble Cemetery is at 60 E. Second St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Not to be confused with the New York Marble Cemetery a few blocks away.) 

More details and ticket information can be found here.

A Visit from St. Frightolas

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Poem by EVG, with obvious inspiration 

from Clement Clarke Moore

’Twas the night before Halloween, when all through the store

Not a creature was stirring — except for the giant body bag hanging from the ceiling.

P.S. 

We now have our fifth sighting... at this rate, we've got a trends cover story on our hands!

Tuesday's parting shot

An EVG reader shared this shot of Halloween-themed windows along First Avenue...

It's close to midnight somewhere: A 'Thriller' rehearsal in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The 53rd annual Village Halloween Parade takes place this Saturday. 

Ahead of the festivities, we spotted a group of dancers in Tompkins Square Park on Sunday rehearsing the choreography from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" to prepare for the parade...

They had the moves down, though the version of "Thriller" playing during their rehearsal wasn't actually Michael Jackson's recording...

Halloween parade Thriller practice at Tompkins Square Park to non-Michael Jackson music https://t.co/2I79uOiC70

— Stacie Joy (@Joy_of_photos) October 26, 2026

Different version, same killer moves...

Weekend's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Spellbound in Tompkins...

Halloween on 7th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy 

As seen on Seventh Street between Avenue B and Avenue C... a favorite building this time of year, during Halloween...

Halloween at Key

Photos by Stacie Joy 

If you've ventured into Key Food on Avenue A and Fourth Street lately, you’ve likely noticed management has gone full throttle this Halloween season. 

Skeletons, ghastly specters (our fave!), and assorted plastic horrors are currently dangling above the checkout lanes and aisles.

The decorations are so extensive that the self-checkout area has somehow become less terrifying... (we kid, because we love)...

... and a view from the office...

Here’s hoping the store soundtrack keeps pace with the decor. Leading up to Oct. 31, we're hoping for a rotation of "Thriller," "Ghostbusters," and Rockwell’s "(I Always Feel Like) Somebody's Watching Me," with a little Ministry or Siouxsie and the Banshees tossed in... maybe even Mötley Crüe's "Shout at the Devil"? 

UPDATED: Just hanging around for Halloween

Photos by Stacie Joy 

We've now spotted two East Village shops with Halloween decorations depicting bodies wrapped in black trash bags and hanging upside down. (At least, we hope they're decorations.) 

The effect is more macabre crime scene than traditional Halloween spookiness...

Anyway, let us know if you spot a third hanging body. We'll have a trend piece to pitch the Times! 

Updated 10/23 

Thanks to commenters... we have our third! Woowoo!

Whoa! And we spotted one more on 14th Street...

Updated 10/30 

ONE MORE ON AVENUE B!

Monday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A Halloween scene at the First Houses on Third Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue...

It's June 26, and Halloween has arrived at the East Village Target

It's in the mid-80s outside, but Halloween apparently waits for no one. 

Edmund John Dunn spotted the first wave of spooky-season merchandise at the Target on 14th Street and Avenue A.

If you're keeping score at home: Halloween decorations are now on shelves while summer has barely settled in. Happy... almost Halloween?

In 'Season'

 

From 1996, Luna covers Donovan's "Season of the Witch" ... a version that also appeared on the "I Shot Andy Warhol" soundtrack.

Saturday brings fall fairs to 3 East Village schools

Several East Village schools are hosting their annual fall/harvest fairs tomorrow (Saturday!) ahead of Halloween... a parent created the flyer above with times and locations for all three. 

FYI — The Fall Ball at PS 19 on First Avenue between 11th Street and 12th Street includes an under-the-sea haunted house. (Beware the krakens 🦑.)

Friday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

IT has begun... Fourth and A...

Saturday's opening shot

As seen on Seventh Street between Avenue C and Avenue D... yes, yes — this used to be such a nice, safe neighborhood!