Tribeca park parade does Halloween in style

Isabelle in the park’s gazebo.

		Toddling lions, tigers and bears did the “monster mash” down Greenwich St. to the tunes of the Circus Amok band, accompanied by parents, dogs and strollers Friday afternoon. Costumed characters from the Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, princesses and power rangers gathered outside the Citigroup building and paraded their way to the Washington Market Park Halloween party. The party, sponsored in part by the Tribeca Organization, included five trick-or-treat stations, a hidden treat haystack, pony rides, witches and a giant pumpkin as well as continued musical accompaniment by the band. A parade of toddlers and strollers invaded the park first, followed at 3:00 by the older children, also in costume.
Eloise leads the march to Washington Market Park on Halloween.

Six year-old Saphha O’Meara came to the parade dressed as Madeline, from the children’s book series by Ludwig Bemelmans. Sappha’s mother and aunt were just as bedecked, and accompanied “Madeline” dressed as Pepito and Miss Clavel, also from the book. “She loves the books,” mother Sara O’Meara said as Saphha paused to adjust her bright yellow bonnet while they waited in line for a pony ride. “In the past she’s been Annie, a pirate, and member of the Michigan marching band.” “This is my favorite,” Saphha added. As the band continued another rendition of the Monster Mash, parents chatted while Buzz Lightyears chased each other around the lawn and masked samurai battled Superman with a sword. A 5-year-old Spongebob Squarepants danced nearby, watched by mother Beth Rosenberg. “This is our first time in the parade,” Rosenberg said. “My son loves everything Spongebob, thinks he’s funny and silly, so this was a costume he would enjoy. We’ll do the usual trick or treating around the building and neighborhood, and playing in the park.” As the sun set, Spongebob and Madeline left Washington Market Park, goodie bags in hand, and monster-mashed their way around the neighborhood for trick-or-treating. “She’s too young for the Village parade so the children’s parade is a nice alternative,” O’Meara said. “We’ll go trick-or-treating tonight.”