Halloween Events NYC Does Best, Broadway to the Parade

Nobody celebrates October 31 quite like Manhattan. Halloween events NYC offers this year range from Broadway ghost stories to a costumed dog parade, and from a Tribeca haunted house to the biggest nighttime parade in the country. Whether you want a ticketed scare, a free spectacle, or both in one weekend, this guide covers the NYC Halloween events worth planning around. We mapped every trip from The Belvedere Hotel on West 48th Street, so you can see exactly how far each spooky stop sits from your room.

Haunted Broadway Shows a Short Walk from The Belvedere Hotel

Start in your own neighborhood. The August Wilson Theatre, home to Paranormal Activity, sits about 0.3 miles from The Belvedere Hotel, an easy 7-minute walk. This new ghost story from director Felix Barrett, the mind behind Sleep No More, runs through January 2027, and includes two performances on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Expect jump scares and a running time of about two hours and ten minutes, including intermission.

For a campier kind of haunting, head to Studio 54, about a 10-minute walk from The Belvedere Hotel. The Rocky Horror Show celebrates October with themed treats and surprises all month. On Friday, October 30, every audience member takes home a limited-edition poster. On Halloween day, the company performs twice, and the matinee features a costume parade, with the cast judging the day's best looks. Dress up, because your fellow audience members certainly will.

Ticketed Scares Downtown

If Broadway's thrills feel too polite, head downtown. Blood Manor, the immersive haunted attraction at 359 Broadway in Tribeca, runs select nights from October 2 through November 7. It sits roughly 3.5 miles from The Belvedere, which means a 20-to-30-minute rideshare, or you can ride the A, C, or E train to Canal Street and walk about 10 minutes.

Prefer theater scares in the Village? 2:22 – A Ghost Story begins previews October 20 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in the West Village, roughly 3 miles from The Belvedere Hotel. Book early, because Halloween week draws crowds to every haunted stage.

Free Halloween Events in NYC

You don't need a ticket to enjoy Halloween activities in NYC. On Saturday, October 17, the 36th annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade fills the East Village with thousands of New Yorkers and their costumed dogs. Watching costs nothing, and you don't need a dog. The park sits about 3.5 miles from The Belvedere Hotel, so plan on a 30-to-40-minute rideshare or a subway ride with a transfer. Organizers will post exact timing and spectator locations on their website closer to the date.

Fans of free spectacle should also save October 31 for the biggest show of all.

The New York Halloween Parade: Your Halloween Night Headliner

Every list of NYC Halloween events ends in the same place: Sixth Avenue. The 53rd Village Halloween Parade steps off Saturday, October 31, at 7 p.m. and marches north from Canal Street to 15th Street. Watching costs nothing, and anyone in costume can march for free. Marchers gather at the lineup on Sixth Avenue at Canal Street between 6:30 and 9 p.m. Spectators should arrive early, because the stretch between Bleecker Street and 14th Street draws the biggest crowds.

From The Belvedere Hotel, the 15th Street end of the New York Halloween parade sits about 2.5 miles away, while the Canal Street lineup sits about 4.5 miles away. A rideshare typically takes 20 to 35 minutes, though Halloween-night traffic and road closures stretch that considerably. The subway usually wins. The C and E trains stop at the 50th St. station, approximately a 5-minute walk from The Belvedere Hotel, and the A, C, and E all reach Canal Street. The C and E also serve West 4th Street, right by the route. Expect some exit-only stations near the route, so build in extra time.

Why Hell's Kitchen Makes a Smart Halloween Base

The Belvedere Hotel sits on West 48th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, in the heart of the Theater District. Restaurant Row lies two blocks away, so you can eat before a show without rushing, and the Times Square subway hub sits about a 5-minute walk away. After a late show or parade, a short subway or rideshare trip brings you straight back to a hotel that keeps Broadway, dinner, and the C and E trains within easy reach. For a weekend built around Halloween events NYC travelers love, that convenience matters.

Plan Your Halloween Weekend Like a Local

Stack your plans by neighborhood. Spend Saturday afternoon at the Rocky Horror costume matinee, grab dinner in Hell's Kitchen, then ride downtown for the parade. Earlier in the month, add the dog parade on October 17 and a Blood Manor night. Confirm each event's details on its official site before you go, because schedules, routes, and start times can change. Wear comfortable shoes, charge your phone, and leave extra travel time on October 31. Halloween activities in NYC reward anyone who plans ahead and commits to a costume.

Book your stay at The Belvedere Hotel today, and step out your door into the best Halloween events NYC has to offer.