Halloween in New York... and in Paris

As soon as October starts in New York City, pumpkins, skeletons, ghosts and vampires are spread everywhere, store displays, schools windows, houses and buildings entrances. That means Halloween is here. The celebration in honor of ghouls and horrific creatures takes place every October 31^st. Young and old enjoy themselves wearing comic or spooky costumes. People take the streets to show their outfits and kids are “threatening” to do some tricks if they don’t get candies fill out their sacks.

In United States this custom has been celebrated since the late XIX century. According to history Irish immigrants who came around 1850 to the East Coast, where the ones that brought the tradition along, which was also known as All-hallows eve. This eve was observed in memory of the Saints and the souls of the deceased. People would dress as angels, saints or demons and then stroll through the town´s streets and then culminate with a great bonfire. As the time passed this festivity was named Hallowmas.

On the other hand by the end of October the Native American Indians would celebrate the ending of the harvest and the beginning of the winter and the New Year. Little by little both traditions merged and became a family and community event, giving birth to today´s Halloween. Nowadays this holiday is celebrated regardless of age, religion or race, whereas the only purpose is the entertainment, the candies and maybe to scare one or other person.

Every year as an example of the Halloween customs that take place in New York there is the Greenwich Village parade, the famous bohemian neighborhood closes its streets to traffic so children, adults and pets participate in the parade, some of them walk, some of them ride bikes, but the most important everybody is carefully dressed in a costume. So that is Halloween pretending to be and live as a magic and unique character at least once a year.

Karla Casas, from NYC

And in Paris?
We'll Trick or Treat too, desguised in our most horrible self. Young and old will come together for a mud cake with confited roaches, some dance and games. Come and join us, there will be a valet broom parking.

Practical Info:

Sunday, November the 1st, 15h-17h
Cithéa-Nova, 112 rue Oberkampf, 75011
M° Parmentier, rue st Maur
Fee: 5€ per person, 3€ for members (gouter compris), babies for free.