The iconic Greenwich Village Halloween Parade in New York City has been canceled due to the coronavirus risk it may cause if thousands of people gathered at the event.
“Billy Porter was going to be the grand marshall," said parade director Jeanne Fleming, who's run the event for 39 years, told the New York Post.
According to Fleming, the theme of the 47th annual parade was going to be "Big Love."
“It was going to be a big embrace and a pushing out of love right before the election," Fleming said of the parade, which cuts a route through Greenwich Village. "So it’s a devastating blow to the energy of the people. It’s not political in any way — it’s about the creativity of New Yorkers."
“And it’s a few days before the election. And usually, on a Saturday night there will be 80,000 people marching. It happens every seven years on a Saturday night.
The board of the parade decided to cancel the event in the past couple of weeks. The event's after-party, which was scheduled to be held at the old Webster Hall location, was also canceled.
“If I see another video of a person dancing alone in their kitchen I’m going to stab myself or I’m going to cry,” Fleming said
Fleming suggested that the organization will hold an alternative event in its place.
“It’s going to be COVID safe, and big, but not gathering a crowd,” she said of the parade organizers’ Halloween surprise.
“Spiritually, people need it. People are so hungry for the live experience,” Fleming said. “I know how much the city needs the parade right now. Also, it’s trick or treat, right? So we’re going to do a trick.”
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