Entry in progress—B.P.
     
Wikipedia: Ragamuffin parade
A Ragamuffin parade is an annual occurrence in communities in the New York metropolitan area. The parades feature children in their Halloween costumes, and typically are held in October or on Halloween. The holiday formed around 1870, a few years after US President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday.
 
It had its origins with Ragamuffin Day, a celebration as part of Thanksgiving, which involved children going door-to-door seeking candy, dressed as beggars and homeless residents of New York. Ragamuffin Day was a predecessor to Halloween, which rose in popularity in the 1940s and 1950s.
   
History
Ragamuffin Day
Ragamuffin Day formed around 1870, a few years after US President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Ragamuffin Day took place on Thanksgiving, and typically involved children going from door to door asking for candy or money. These children were originally dressed in the style of the homeless of New York, with rags and oversized and exaggerated imitations of beggars.
 
Present day
Ragamuffin parades continued in the outer boroughs of New York City after losing popularity in Manhattan. The parades are still held in the area, including in Bay Ridge, held since 1966, Park Ridge, New Jersey, and in Hoboken, New Jersey. Other communities include the Westchester County municipalities Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor (where the parade has been held for about 30 years).
 
In September 2016, a street in Bay Ridge was renamed “Ragamuffin Way” in honor of the neighborhood’s 50-year-old tradition.
 
The Vintage News
Ragamuffin Day – The Original Halloween
Aug 23, 2018 Andrew Pourciaux
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One tradition that emerged from New York involved children dressing up in all manner of costumes and begging strangers for treats.
 
These kids would often dress down, wearing poor people’s clothing as a costume, garnering the nickname of Ragamuffins.
 
Known colloquially in New York City as Ragamuffin Day, the children would go out on the streets and ask, “Anything for Thanksgiving?” They would be rewarded with candies, fruits or even pennies.
 
Over time, the tradition would expand as the children dressed up as more than just hobos and vagrants. Some would wear face paint, others would put on masks. The tradition, beginning in 1870, actually preceded Halloween’s trick or treating.