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New York City's 41st Annual April Fools' Day Parade looks at "What's Real and What's Not"

Published by New Jersey Stage

originally published: 03/13/2026

(NEW YORK, NY) -- New York City's 41st Annual April Fools' Day Parade returns on April 1, 2026. In an era when truth is optional, elections are negotiable, civil rights are conditional, and reality itself has been rebranded as "fake," the parade once again pokes fun at the past year's displays of hype, hypocrisy, deceit, bigotry, and downright stupidity because the alternative is despair.

As always, participation in the parade is open to the public. Costumes, floats, look-alikes, whistleblowers, dis- information specialists, and bewildered bystanders are all welcome. The April Fools’ Day Parade Committee accepts no responsibility for emotional whiplash, existential dread, or sudden moments of clarity.

Floats should be no wider than 10 feet and no longer than 30 feet and can be self-propelled, towed, pushed or pulled. Customized bicycles, tricycles, baby carriages, and helium balloons are welcome.

The theme of the parade is “What’s Real and What’s Not”. The self-appointed Grand Marshal is President Donald J. Trump, leading a procession of loyalists, liars and grifters. The theme song will be “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin, performed by the January 6 Pardoned Felons Marching Band.

“Reality, like truth, is often just what we choose to believe.” — Joey Skaggs, Parade Committee Chair




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The parade will kick off with aerial flyovers of Kristi Noem’s new luxury Boeing 737 Max 8 and Donald Trump’s new Qatari royal family gifted Boeing 747-8 jetliner. They will be dropping confetti from the shred- ded U.S. Constitution and the few remaining fake newspapers.

Assembly: Fifth Avenue and 59th Street at 12:00 Noon, Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Route: South on Fifth Avenue (with a brief pause in front of Trump Tower)

Final Destination: Washington Square Park (soon to be renamed Trump Square Park and turned into a min- iature golf course), site of the traditional coronation of the King or Queen of Fools--possibly for the last time--as rumors persist that democratic elections may soon be retired.

This year’s floats will include the Worn-out, Fatigued, and Collapsed Statue of Liberty float; the Giant Talk- ing AI Anal Sphincter float answering questions with confident nonsense; a Venezuelan Drill Baby Drill float with a leaky, rusted oil derrick on wheels, spewing corruption; the Anti-inflation Affordability float tossing fresh eggs at the crowd; the Barbed Wire Cage float for illegals (and legals) captured along the parade route. Bringing up the rear of the parade will be a Middle East Camel Race back to the Stone Age.

Celebrity look-alikes include Vice President J.D. Vance, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Kash Patel, Pam Bondi, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Vladimir Putin, Pete Hegseth, David Ellison, Mike Johnson, and Ghislane Maxwell will ride e-bikes in a demolition derby. The public is encouraged to join the melee.

At the parade’s conclusion in Washington Square Park, where the King of Fools is crowned, festivities will include: a Complimentary BBQ Cook-out serving recalled food containing listeria, E. coli, and undeclared allergens; a Greenland Resettlement Kiosk offering Palestinian refugees forty acres and a snowmobile; and an Immunization Lottery (before they’re banned), sponsored by Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr.




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Entertainment will feature the first comprehensive public reading of all redacted names from the Epstein Files (excluding victims), followed by a screening of the Melania mockumentary. Security and surveillance will be provided by unidentifiable ICE agents.


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FEATURED EVENTS



Maria Muldaur With Pianist Bruce Katz

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ


Lonestar

Thursday, October 01, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ


The Commodores

Thursday, October 01, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ


Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band

Friday, October 02, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ


Graham Nash – Live on Tour 2026

Friday, October 02, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ