West 69th Street is preparing for another scare this Halloween

West 69th Street, legendary for its Halloween festivities since 1971, will once again host an exciting evening on October 31st. The two-block stretch between Central Park West and Broadway will come to life with costumes, candy and haunted houses as the festivities are in full swing from 6 to 8 p.m

Whether you’re looking to trick-or-treat or just celebrate Halloween, West 69th Street has long been a popular destination for locals and visitors, known for its extravagantly spooky Spooky Nights escapades. The tradition began when four-time Tony Award winner Gwen Verdon, an actress and dancer who lived at 91 Central Park West, approached the West 69th Street Block Association and asked for permission to take her daughter trick-or-treating through the To be allowed to take the block with you.

ALSO READ: UWS Haunted Buildings

The block association agreed and the tradition was started in 1971. What began as an event for about twenty children has now reached its peak as approximately 4,000 children arrived in full costume accompanied by their parents, many of whom also wore Halloween regalia. Due to the pandemic, the West 69th Street Halloween event was closed to the public from 2020 to 2022, but Halloween made its triumphant return in 2023.

A local celebrity and her children were particularly impressed by West 69th Street’s Halloween decorations in 2023.

Get ILTUWS in your inbox

“I didn’t know what to expect. There were literally thousands of people in the streets,” Kelly Clarkson, the original winner of American Idol and host of her own show on NBC, said in an Instagram video. “There were literally skeletons that were thrown off a house; “It was crazy.” Clarkson added that her son was so excited about the arrangements that he constantly asked her to take photos and videos to commemorate the evening. “He loves Halloween,” she said.

Even though we’re still over two weeks away from the big night, we spotted Halloween decorations on the street. A tree bed houses a human and a K9 skeleton as well as a witch. a lamppost was repurposed to hold a ghoul; and behind a second floor window are some aliens, one of whom is holding a sign that says “Are you ready?” AREA 51.” Every day brings new surprises as Halloween gets closer and closer.

Are you decorating your home for Halloween? Share your setup with us via email for a chance to be featured!

Do you have a news tip? Send it to us here!

Sharing is important!