On Halloween afternoon, Saturday, October 31, 2026, children in costume will gather at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive and parade north through Riverside Park to Hippo Playground, where a live band will play for an hour. The Hippo Playground Halloween Parade runs from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and is free, according to the NYC Parks events calendar.

NYC Parks lists the parade as an annual event, and this year it lands this year on a Saturday, which means no rush from school pickup and a full afternoon for families to make a day of it in the park.

How the Afternoon Works

Families meet at the monument at 3:30 p.m. The parade is led by Ramblin' Dan, who fronts Ramblin' Dan's Freewheelin' Band. He walks at the front and leads the procession from the monument up to Hippo Playground, which sits near West 91st Street and Riverside Drive, a short walk of roughly two blocks inside the park.

Once everyone reaches the playground, the full band takes over with a live set from 4 to 5 p.m. The event wraps up at 5:30 p.m., giving families time to head home or out for trick-or-treating as the sun goes down. Sunset in New York on October 31 comes shortly before 6 p.m., so the whole program happens in daylight.

There is no registration listed and no ticket required. Children of any age in costume are welcome, and the event is tagged by NYC Parks under concerts, festivals and kids' events.

Who Puts It On

The parade is organized by Riverside Playground Partners, together with Summer on the Hudson, the public programming arm of Riverside Park Conservancy. NYC Parks lists the Conservancy's Summer on the Hudson office as the event contact.

The money for the afternoon comes from the neighborhood itself. According to the event listing, the parade is paid for entirely with proceeds from the Hippo Spring Fair, the playground's springtime fundraiser, and it is staffed with the help of volunteers and local sponsors. In other words, families who came out to the spring fair are funding the Halloween party their kids attend in the fall.

Riverside Park Conservancy works with NYC Parks to maintain and improve six miles of parkland along the Hudson, from West 59th Street up to West 181st Street, about 400 acres in all. Its October calendar also included a dog costume parade and a Halloween pickleball tournament, and the Hippo parade closes out the month on Halloween itself.

About Hippo Playground

Hippo Playground is one of several playgrounds that line Riverside Park, each known by a nickname that matches its theme. NYC Parks lists it at West 91st Street and Riverside Drive, between Neufeld Playground at West 76th Street and Dinosaur Playground at West 97th Street. It serves families from the blocks between Broadway and Riverside Drive, and on parade day it becomes the stage for the band.

Gathering at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument gives the parade a natural starting point. The monument stands at 89th Street and Riverside Drive, and the plaza around it has space for a crowd of families and strollers to assemble before stepping off.

Tips for Families

  • Arrive a few minutes early. The procession leaves from the monument at 3:30 p.m., and families who arrive late can head straight to Hippo Playground for the band.
  • Bring a layer. Late October afternoons along the Hudson can turn breezy, and costumes do not always keep kids warm.
  • Strollers are fine, but the route includes park paths and slopes between Riverside Drive and the playground level.
  • The listing does not mention food or candy, so plan snacks accordingly.

Getting There

The closest subway stop is 86 St on the 1 train at Broadway, about a 10 minute walk west to Riverside Drive at 89th Street. The 96 St station, served by the 1, 2 and 3 trains, is a similar walk from the north end, close to Hippo Playground. The M5 bus runs along Riverside Drive in this part of the Upper West Side, and the M104 runs on Broadway.

The Details

Hippo Playground Halloween Parade, Saturday, October 31, 2026, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Meet at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, West 89th Street and Riverside Drive, in Riverside Park, Manhattan. The parade ends at Hippo Playground (West 91st Street and Riverside Drive), with live music from 4 to 5 p.m. Free. Questions go to Summer on the Hudson at Riverside Park Conservancy, 212-870-3089.

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