Halloween Dance Party On The East River Esplanade This Weekend

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY – Wear a costume – if you dare – according to the Friends of the East River Esplanade, who are hosting a free, kid-friendly Halloween party on the East River on Sunday afternoon.

East End favorites Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks, also known as the “house band of the Hamptons,” will perform at Andrew Haswell Green Park from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27.

And that’s not all: come for the music, but stay for the ice cream, in the form of flavors like chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and more, from A La Mode on East 55th Street near Sutton Place.

There will be face painting, too.

“You can quote me saying that we want to be better than the West Side,” joked Jennifer Ratner, founder of Friends Of The East River Esplanade. “The game is on.”

The neighborhood has taken note, and hundreds of East Siders typically turn out for the group’s concerts on the Esplanade, according to Ratner. Sunday’s event is this season’s finale.

“We open up the grass for kids and there will be space for dancing,” Ratner said. “People are always dancing.”

Although it apparently no longer rains in New York City, the event is outdoors and thusly weather-dependent. If the weather turns, check Instagram, where any cancellation would be announced.

Andrew Haswell Green Park is located on the East River between East 59th Street and East 63rd Street, and features dramatic views of the Queensboro Bridge.

More information about the event, as well as Friends of the East River Esplanade, is available here.