NYC DOT Kicks Off Spooky Season With the Return of Car Free ‘Trick or Streets’

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2024
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NYC DOT Kicks-Off Spooky Season With the Return of Car-Free 'Trick-or-Streets'

Third Annual 'Trick-or-Streets' Event Will Feature More Than 100 Events Planned in All Five Boroughs Throughout October

Photo of previous 'Trick-or-Streets' celebration in Brooklyn. Credit: NYC DOT

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the agency will host more than 100 car-free events across the five boroughs in the month of October as part of the city's third annual 'Trick-or-Streets' program. This year's program is the largest ever, with NYC DOT and its partners hosting free Halloween-themed events throughout the month. Today's announcement includes 10 signature events at locations in all five boroughs, the first of which will take place this Saturday, October 5, as well as seven partner events to be held throughout early and mid-October. In the coming weeks, NYC DOT will release the full list of Trick-or-Street events taking place this October, along with a map of car-free streets for Halloween. For more information about 'Trick-or-Streets' locations, visit nyc.gov/trickorstreets.

"'Trick-or-Streets' is back and bigger than ever-and we invite all New Yorkers to take part in an event this month!" said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Our streets serve all New Yorkers-and 'Trick-or-Streets' is a great example of how we can use them to bring joy and greater safety to so many children."

Part of the city's Open Streets, Plaza, and Public Realm programming initiatives, 'Trick-or-Streets' allows groups of residents, community organizations, institutions, and other neighborhood associations to create car-free streets for New Yorkers to safely participate in Halloween activities.

Signature events will take place throughout the month of October leading up to Halloween. These premier locations include Halloween-themed programming and performances. Programming will include live music, circus acts, comedic clown performances, jugglers, and more.

• Decatur Avenue Open Street, The Bronx - October 31, 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. produced by Street Lab
• Fordham Plaza, The Bronx - October 26, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. produced by Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
• Berry Street Open Street, Brooklyn - October 27, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. produced by The Horticultural Society of New York
• Kensington Plaza, Brooklyn - October 19, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. produced by Broadway for Arts Education
• W 9th Street Open Street, Brooklyn - October 26, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. produced by Broadway for Arts Education
• Audubon Avenue Open Street, Manhattan - October 26, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. produced by NYC Kidsfest
• Pell Street Open Street + Doyers Plaza, Manhattan - October 31, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. produced by Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
• 165th Street Open Street, Queens - October 30, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. produced by Street Lab
• 31st Avenue Open Street, Queens - October 31, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. produced by The Horticultural Society of New York
• Castleton Avenue, Staten Island - October 5, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. produced by NYC Kidsfest

This upcoming weekend, New Yorkers can look forward to the following 'Trick-or-Street' events:

• October 5: NYC DOT signature event on Castleton Ave, Staten Island that will be produced by NYC DOT Public Realm Programming Partner NYC Kids Fest, Staten Island Business Outreach Center, and Castleton Ave Merchants Association.
• October 5: Bike the Block Event at the Woodside Avenue Open Street in Queens that is produced by NYC DOT in partnership with Thai Community USA
• October 6: Inaugural 'BQ Flea' market with BK Flea in Williamsburg, Brooklyn under BQE at Meeker Ave between Union Ave and Lorimer St. This is the first of four market dates, and the perfect place to find a spooky costume or mysterious prop for a haunted house. The market will run every Sunday in October.

In Mid-October, New Yorkers are invited to join in on the Halloween and fall festivities at the following partner events:

• October 18: Mount Hope Place Open Streets, The Bronx - 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. produced by PS 117
• October 19: 34th Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Parade (E 9th St between Avenue A and Avenue B, Manhattan) - 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. produced by The Friends of the First Run
• October 19: Gansevoort Plaza, Manhattan - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. produced by Meatpacking Business Improvement District
• October 19: Chauncey Street Open Street, Brooklyn - 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. produced by Chauncey Street Block and Tenant Association
• October 20: Tompkins Ave Open Street, Brooklyn - 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. produced by Tompkins Ave Merchants Association and Bridge Street Development Corporation

'Trick-or-Streets' builds on the Adams administration's efforts to make streets safer for children and families. This year, the city launched a record number of school-related Open Streets and improved visibility at intersections near schools. New York City has a roughly 100-year-history of closing streets for children to play and to support educational opportunities, and 'Trick-or-Streets' follows in this tradition by ensuring that all New Yorkers can safely enjoy public spaces.

"The NYC Department of Transportation is casting a spell of car-free delight, transforming our streets into a Halloween haven! With vibrant, traffic-free playgrounds, NYC provides children with a magical backdrop for festivities and fun," said New York State Senator Robert Jackson. "The visionary 'Trick-or-Streets' initiative allows families to walk, play, and connect safely-showing that our city can be both lively and secure for everyone."

"We're thrilled to be teaming up with the NYC DOT to turn plazas and commercial corridors into fun-filled Halloween destinations," said Jessica Chornesky, executive director, NYC Kidsfest. "Kids and their families can enjoy pumpkin patches, giveaways, live music and performances, interactive workshops, arts & crafts, face painting, balloon animals, and plenty of spooky surprises. These vibrant spaces will capture the spirit of the holiday while providing a safe and festive atmosphere for all."

"In anticipation of this annual fun event, the Chinatown BID team is preparing some very special Street Treats as well as Alley Tricks which we can't wait to unleash and surprise everyone with but that is only for those who are willing to come visit us at Doyers and Pell Street before the nearby Halloween parade starts. We dare you to party with us!" said Wellington Chen, executive director, Chinatown Partnership/Business Improvement District.

"Red Hook Initiative (RHI) is thrilled to partner with DOT and Broadway for Arts Education to transform RHI's West 9th Open Street into a Halloween carnival," said Michael Partis, executive director, Red Hook Initiative. "The Trick or Streets program is a continuation of our commitment to create safe and accessible open space for the Red Hook neighborhood."

"Halloween is a day when New York City kids should feel excited, happy, and safe on the street, surrounded by friends, family, and neighbors. And Open Streets are a beautiful way to help make that possible in a busy city," said Leslie Davol, executive director, Street Lab. "Street Lab will be out on three different Open Streets in the Bronx on Halloween and also supporting lots more Trick-or-Streets events throughout October. We're excited to be working with community groups and NYC DOT to celebrate Halloween and to be creating new Open Streets like these in neighborhoods across the city."

"The Staten Island Business Outreach Center (SIBOC) is proud to partner with the NYC Department of Transportation on the Trick-or-Streets initiative for our community and neighborhood of West Brighton," said Nina Flores, executive director, Staten Island Business Outreach Center. "We are excited to host the signature event this Saturday, October 5 on Castleton Avenue, and it promises to be a great occasion for everyone to enjoy."

"As a native New Yorker, I've always known that the streets here haven't traditionally been seen as safe enough for kids to go trick-or-treating like they do in suburban neighborhoods," said Nkosa Barrett, director, Decatur Block Association. "Many families would often take their children to areas like Westchester for Halloween. Thanks to DOT, we now have the chance to create a safe, fun, and festive Halloween experience right in our own inner-city communities."

"Broadway for Arts Education's Trick-or-Streets events will feature performances by Vishal Vaidya (Merrily We Roll Along, Groundhog Day), Linedy Genaro (Bad Cinderella, Dear Evan Hansen), Ali Ewoldt (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, The King and I) and Keri Rene Fuller (Six, Waitress) plus carnival games, a costume contest, karaoke, candy, prizes, and more," said Ben Houghton, executive director, Broadway for Arts Education.

"The Hort is excited to continue our collaboration with DOT for another year of Trick-or-Streets, bringing vibrant fall plant activities and providing essential maintenance support to this much-loved event," said Sara Hobel, executive director, The Horticultural Society of New York. "Trick-or-Streets is a hallmark of fall in our city, offering families a festive, safe, and community-building way to celebrate Halloween. We are proud to play a part in enhancing the experience by offering Harvest w/ The Hort, where our plant-focused fall activities for New Yorkers of all ages will help everyone get into the spooky fall spirit."

"The Downtown Jamaica Partnership BID is thrilled and grateful to partner with DOT and Street Lab in bringing Trick-or-Streets to the 165th Street Mall Open Street in a few weeks," said Whitney Barrat, president, Downtown Jamaica Partnership. "This family-friendly, festive event featuring arts and crafts, a live bubble show, a donut truck with delicious free treats, and much more, will bring joy and delight to our Downtown Jamaica community, and we can't wait to celebrate on October 30."

"Bindlestiff Family Cirkus is excited to be a part of this year's Trick or Streets, bringing joy and wonder to the neighborhoods of New York," said Keith Nelson, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. "These DOT programs are such a vibrant and important gift to the communities of the city. Bindlestiff's clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and wire walkers bring the tricks into the streets, literally."

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