Greenwich Village Halloween Parade

NEW YORK (AP) — Downtown New York City came alive with the sights of zombies, witches and super heroes as the city kicked off the 43rd annual Greenwich Village Halloween Parade.

Thousands lined Manhattan's Sixth Avenue Monday night to watch the steady stream of masked characters and floats jammed with singers and dancers.

Political themes were also well-represented this year. Besides presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, there were characters dressed as missing email files, FBI agents and Skittles.

Open to anyone in a costume, the event prides itself on being an anything-goes spectacle. It started in 1973 with a puppeteer marching with his family. Over the years, it's grown into a televised spectacle drawing thousands of spectators.