When: October 31, 2014, at 7pm (ends around 11pm)

Where: Runs along 6th Avenue, from Spring to 16th streets

Everyone loves a parade, and ghosts, goblins, and other assorted ghouls are no exception. Nowhere in the world does Halloween bigger and better than NYC, thanks to Manhattan's legendary Village Halloween Parade, now in its 41st year. Parade-goers in 2014 can expect a wave of hundreds of giant puppets, more than 50 bands, assorted floats, dancers, artists, and, of course, plenty of over-the-top costumed characters to weave it all together.

Best of all, everybody in costume is welcomed to join in on the fun and prance along in the procession!

This year's parade theme is "The Garden of Earthly Delights," a nod to the intricate layers of Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch’s storied altarpiece, as reflected by a menagerie of giant puppets and costumed performers. Larger-than-life pageant-sized puppets are commissioned by parade organizers annually to help illustrate the parade's theme on a grand scale, and are unveiled on Halloween night. The parade's Artistic and Producing Director Jeanne Fleming poetically explained in a statement that "this year, parade puppeteers will sow the seeds of a verdant garden, turning 6th Avenue into a greenway of surging shoots, unfurling blossoms, and tempting fruits dangling low from the animated boughs of a giant Tree of Life.” Sounds groovy!

The 2014 Village Halloween Parade grand marshal is "The View" host Whoopi Goldberg, who will lead the parade route on a Bosch-themed float. Goldberg commented, "As a native New Yorker, I am thrilled to be a part of such a time-honored tradition." She added, "The parade brings people of this great city together, and the energy is always infectious."

The parade route runs along 6th Avenue, from Spring to 16th streets. Parade organizers have advised that the route will be most congested between Bleecker and 14th streets, so try to scope out another vantage point for more optimized viewing.

Those in costume wishing to participate should join ranks with the parade as it rolls out from 6th Avenue at Canal Street, between 6:30pm and 8:30pm. (Note that the kickoff point can only be reached from the east or south via Sullivan, E. Broome, or Canal streets; from the west, it's only accessible via Canal Street.)

The parade organizers, via secret scouts embedded within the parade route, will also be giving out (soon-to-be-announced) prizes for the best costume.

The Village Halloween Parade attracts some 50,000 spectators and participants, so brace yourself for crowds and definitely plan on using public transport to get there, since there's nothing scarier on Halloween than being stuck in the bumper-to-bumper traffic that's sure to surround the event. For more details, visit halloween-nyc.com.