Spooky Halloween parade to debut in Forest Hills

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Michael Perlman

mperlman@queensledger.com

“What’s the use of Halloween when there are 31 days in one day?” said Frederic Sandy, a licensed real estate agent with Orion Homes Realty, who never stops nurturing his dreams and elevating community spirit through amazing creativity and eternal joy. Above all, he is a family man who has proudly called Forest Hills home since 2007. The ultimate Halloween house, Forest Hills Halloween House, is filled with festivities and is located at 87-23 69th Avenue, near Metropolitan Avenue and Sibylla Street. It is also the venue for his annual tradition, “31 Days of Halloween,” which originated in 2014.

Sandy often starts decorating on the first day of fall, but one question he finds difficult to answer is “How long does it take to set up?” “In my heart and mind, I’m never done. You would think for such a small house, this would be an easy set-up,” he said.

This year, thanks to Sandy’s vibrant vision, the Halloween celebrations will be even bigger with the inaugural Forest Hills Halloween Parade, complete with a costume contest on Saturday, October 31st from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Lineup times will be updated as the parade approaches, but is expected to be at 11am. He was the originator of the community march but saw this as a unique opportunity. “As if I was not humbled enough in previous years with the month-long exhibition, this tradition has been taken to another level. It is truly an honor to be a part of and develop this event with the help of neighbors, local residents, businesses, and of course the Forest Hills Metropolitan Village,” said Sandy.

Depending on attendance, it is expected to take place on Sybilla Street between 69th Road and 69th Avenue and end at Metropolitan Ave and Continental Avenue. “How we got the parade started on the block where we host our annual Halloween display sparked a heated discussion among the decorating neighbors. Think they can’t step up the display any more? Well, think again. We’re all super excited!”

Sandy said Halloween is a symbol of change. “While many people are waiting for December 31st to make decisions, we like to do this on Halloween to prepare for the colder months ahead. If we don’t make those decisions happen, we can do it again on New Year’s Eve. There’s nothing better for fall than when the weather is nice on the East Coast.” He considers it a form of Feng Shui.

Memories of Halloween kept coming back, but one in particular made Sandy sound very old. “As a kid, I remember walking into the old Woolworth’s store in Jackson Heights during Halloween and staring at all their merchandise and feeling like something wasn’t right. All these years later, I look at how things evolved during Halloween and feel like ‘yeah, this is exactly what’s supposed to happen.'”

For Sandy, his family’s Halloween display goes far beyond decoration. “It’s an immersive experience with legendary animatronics, spooky lights, special effects and Halloween music throughout,” he said. “We try to create a fun mix of spooks, surprises and entertainment for visitors of all ages. Most importantly, it’s about bringing families and neighbors together to keep the Halloween spirit alive in Forest Hills.”

Ideally, the inaugural parade will draw large crowds of people dressed in costumes ranging from Cinderella and Prince Charming to Dracula and Freddy Krueger. Sandy admitted that the unknown number of attendees made him a little anxious because he knows how much he loves Halloween, but he still has high expectations. He and his team are in conversations with a number of local schools and dance groups, among other sources, and have received significant positive feedback. He explained, “We will ask for a roll call of those who are sure to be in the parade, and it is open to anyone who wishes to participate in the parade. Whether it is 500 or 5,000 participants, we will be very proud of the first of the Forest Hills Halloween Parades. Like the line in the movie Field of Dreams, ‘If you build it, he will come.'”

Although Sandy dedicated a lot of time to her community, she did not sacrifice precious family moments. Intimate family time can be as easy as watching an outdoor horror movie and playing a Halloween version of Monopoly. “My kids are growing up very fast, so we can do simple things at home to keep us together. As far as the public is concerned, we will put up a canopy on Halloween, hand out candy and play great music for everyone,” he explains. Local residents learned early on that furry friends would not be excluded from receiving treats. He asked, “Is there anywhere else to have a block party on Halloween?”

Sandy enthusiastically explains the atmosphere behind the scenes. A bunch of decorations were hauled out of the attic. “For weeks on end, my backyard was a mess, filled with trinkets, knick-knacks, knick-knacks, and all kinds of Halloween props.” It’s a fun fact mixed into the mix. “I love fall leaves and all, but I think I have OCD when I hang leaves around my monitor. I think the sound I make by raking the leaves is louder than the animatronics. Man, my neighbors are awesome!”

Given the limited space in the front yard, Sandy is always working to diversify the layout and aims to introduce new attractions during the last few weeks of October. “Believe it or not, there aren’t a lot of new decorations in the store that catch my eye, but usually it’s just a matter of thinking about it and then going shopping. I’ve had to retire some of my spooky friends so someone else will step up, or we might build something from scratch.”

A notable highlight in recent years has been community participation in the 100 Pumpkins Challenge, which involves giving away creative pumpkin carvings, allowing local residents to play a role in a lavish display. “The more jack-o’-lanterns we receive, the more it makes our house stand out. The first year we arranged it was 2020, which symbolized our community coming together through all the negativity. I really try to do the pumpkin challenge and it warms my heart when people want to get involved,” he said.

Sandy envisioned a parade that would be legendary for many generations, and in addition to the planning process, he shared the origins of his vision. He created a musical comic strip partially aided by artificial intelligence, but still displayed his omnipresent spirit. It takes viewers through the thought process behind the Halloween parade and can be found on his website. He recalls, “My vision was actually coming to fruition on November 1, 2025. After mulling over the idea a few years ago, I knew in my heart that now was the right time to make it happen. After initial conversations with the great members of MetroVillage, it was unanimously decided to give it a try. The initial guidance from the Jackson Heights Halloween Parade co-chairs (a tradition for decades) made me think ‘We did it!'”

Sandy and his team submitted the application earlier this year and, after arranging the logistics, received city approval on July 31. “The support from the 112th Precinct Community Affairs Department has been amazing and made everything easier than it looked. My vision truly took a village to make it happen,” he continued.

Since the Halloween parade is the first of its kind, Sandy expects there will be a learning curve. Through this unique initiative, the spirit of volunteerism is sweeping across Forest Hills. He explained, “It’s been a challenging time for many businesses on Metropolitan Avenue lately due to the ongoing construction, so requests for donations have been rare. The best thing people can do is be nice to each other and volunteer their time when needed. Within the budget, many businesses will be open that day and provide candy to marchers and spectators, so essentially they’re funding from the sophomore sponsors.”

For the Sandys, costumes are always a last-minute idea, but still impressive. “Maybe one in 1,000 Spider-Man would be walking around that day,” he said with a laugh. Having a high level of everlasting joy and joy, as well as attracting enough performers would be a dream come true. “It’s crazy to think that after the parade is over, the party isn’t over yet. We have a lot going on locally along Burns Street, Austin Street and Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hill Gardens. It would be great to mingle with everyone there and visit the merchants and restaurants in costume. Let’s forget about this crazy world for a moment.”

Forest Hillians are passionate storytellers who not only shared memories of past Halloween celebrations but also provided lots of feedback on how they rated Sandy and her family’s commitment. He explained, “One of the highlights of this year is that I got to meet and greet a lot of the business owners in the Forest Hills MetroVillage and other business owners along Metropolitan Avenue. I’m really looking forward to building this into a place over the next few years and have nothing but positive outlooks.”

In addition to creativity, it was optimism that led Sandy to a hopeful moment in Forest Hills history. “I may sound a little crazy thinking about Halloween in 2027 and 2028, but my main wish is to double the number of parades on a Sunday next year. In 2028, on a Tuesday, we can have a parade from 5 to 7 p.m. There’s nothing better than having a Halloween parade at dusk, but of course, we need to have community success the first year.

To stay up to date and get yourself into the Halloween spirit with your family and friends, bookmark www.foresthillshalloweenparade.com and www.foresthillshalloween.com