Tribeca Citizen | Washington Market Park hosts the first of the Halloween festivities

Washington Market Park hosts the first of the Halloween festivities

October 26, 2026 • Events

Photo by @arlophoto

As it has for decades, Washington Market Park hosted its annual Halloween Parade on Sunday afternoon, and a preview of the holiday with its 12th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest the night before.

The contest had 87 entries — some serious gourd genius — and was judged by the city’s Parks Commish, Tricia Shimamura; Deputy Borough President Misha Smith; Manhattan Borough Parks Commissioner Alberto Roldan; Tribeca’s own Rachael Elderfield, the owner of Lola Tribeca; and PS 234’s PE teacher, Sal Ajami. The kids went absolutely nuts for Sal — it was like a Beatles concert there in the front row.

Plus Tribecan Lydia Bowman’s parents, Rauna and Andy Bowman, worked the event and Andy, who works for The Hershey Company, donated all the candy.

See the list of winners here on Washington Market Park’s Instagram.

The parade was led as always by the Queer Big Apple Corps marching band, starting at Citi, and Greenwich Street was packed with marchers and viewers. And there’s more to come: Halloween is Saturday, when the local merchants rally to make it a very Tribeca holiday. See more events here.