Instead of going door to door with intentions of scaring anyone and everyone with a surprise shout out — ‘boo!’— ghosts, ghouls, and goblins are already tearfully boo-hoo-ing the prospect of a virtual Halloween celebration sanctioned by Mayor Bill de Blasio on the last day of the month.
As a cautionary measure to tame the coronavirus, the city’s number one citizen bypassed pleas to slam the door shut on any public revelry related to celebration of All Hallows Eve.
The decision prohibits adults and youths from stopping into stores and businesses to collect candy and other treats, parade in large numbers the devilish, and angelic characters and at last report he put the brakes on costume parties with more than a limited number of guests.
Forced into hiatus until perhaps 2021, the annual is not cancelled but will be substituted by a virtual feature.
Like apple picking, the St. Patrick’s Day, West Indian American Day Parade, the Panamanian Day, Pride, Puerto Rican, Thanksgiving Day Parade and the New Year’s Eve ball drop from Times Square, all are casualties of COVID-19.
After lamenting the restrictions, fans of the biggest costume party in America are now virtually pre-occupied with providing alternative recreational methods to mark the Saturday date.
With coronavirus numbers spiking in some sections of Brooklyn and throughout the nation, the preventive measure seems to be a welcomed decision to stave off increased upticks, a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps collision with the winter flu season.
The calendar date would have been the ideal day to venture out for a weekend of dusk to dawn mask balls.
The Greenwich Village spectacle through the streets might have provided a pre-election parody of candidates contending the Nov. 3 election.
Boo! or boohoo, one of the organizers reached out to insiders to explain the theme of the 47th annual.
“BIG LOVE! BIG EMBRACE!” was organized to “include all New Yorkers in a joyful celebration of our unique collective imagination,” Jeanne Fleming, artistic director of the Village Halloween Parade said.
“The Halloween Parade is all about the connection between the participants — all those who walk in the Parade in costume — and our audience (the rest of New York!). That person to person connection is at the heart of this event. We do not want to lose all of this joyful time, this irrepressible spirit of NYC and the marvelous creative folks who make up the Parade and the joyful souls who watch and play.”
In extolling the tradition of the annual she borrowed a quote from a prominent newspaper which explained that “the Halloween Parade is the best entertainment that the people of this city give to people of this city.”
“As we considered doing ‘something’ online this year as place holder, we felt that idea would have been the best ever.”
Some have declared they will wear a hazmat to costume COVID-19 2020.
Daring celebrants might have to substitute portrayals of first-lady Melania Trump, former Vice President Joe Biden, Vice Presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris, President Donald Trump as well as those wanting to pay homage to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
For sure savvy influencers will find ways to innovatively parody social media wizen Kim Kardashian, pop star Rihanna, media mogul Oprah Winfrey and even Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
There is no reason this year’s Halloween celebration will fall short of the usual scare fest. The virtual treat might prove to be the safest.
Catch You On The Inside!
