The foundering economy has spooked even the most loyal spon sors away from the Village’s famed Halloween Parade.
“Last year, we had 11 floats, and that was when the economy started to tank. This year, we have three,” said parade director Jeanne Fleming.
A typical year sees more than 20 floats — which mostly finance the massive effort — rolling up Sixth Avenue. The parade draws upward of 70,000 marchers and more than a million spectators and has been a tradition for 36 years.
“This is the first year that we aren’t sponsoring it, and hopefully, it’s the last,” said Ron Silver, owner of Bubby’s restaurant in TriBeCa, a parade backer for 18 years.
“At this point, restaurants are closing. We’re watching our bottom line.”
Even the Department of Cultural Affairs cut its annual grant nearly in half, from $16,000 in 2008 to $9,000.