NEW YORK – Thousands of revelers dressed as everything from goblins to pizza slices turned out Friday for Greenwich Village's Halloween parade, reveling in a tradition equal parts spookiness and spoof.

But real-world concerns intruded a bit on the fanciful festivities, billed as the nation's biggest Halloween celebration. The ongoing financial crisis scared at least seven major parade sponsors into pulling their support, and even some spectators scaled back.

Michael Whalen wanted to dress as the vampire Lestat. But Whalen instead donned a costume he could create cheaply: "Born in the U.S.A."-era Bruce Springsteen, in white T-shirt and blue jeans, carrying a cardboard guitar.

source: y.news