New York (AFP) - New York’s Halloween parade brought out the ghouls and ghosts of the Big Apple on Thursday, with a subversive political theme on show in many costumes days before America picks its next president.

Attracting a crowd of tens of thousands, the parade revellers, many of whom wore costumes pillorying prominent politicians, sauntered through central Manhattan on an unseasonably mild evening.

Dozens of those marching wore cat costumes and carried signs referring to White House contender Donald Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance and his 2021 comments describing childless women as “cat ladies.”

“Not going back,” “cat ladies,” and “bodily autonomy” read some of the placards they held aloft, drawing cheers from the crowd.

“Because of all of the anxiety we are feeling, to play cat is a good way of getting it all out,” said one of the women marching sporting cat attire, Beth Haase, 61, a psychiatrist who lived in the battleground state of Nevada.

Another crowd member sported a ginger wig and red “Make America Great Again” hat combination.

“At the end of the day (the hat) is fun – but America needs something different,” said Raphael, a 49-year-old business owner from Florida who declined to give his surname.

Nearby, three women sitting on the steps of an apartment building insisted the scruffy orange wig on their French bulldog, like that commonly seen at Trump rally, was apolitical.

- ‘All eyes are on him’ -

“We don’t do that, this is New York,” said one of them.

At “Halloween Adventure” – a vast, nearly block-long costume store packed with hundreds of disguises and accessories – dozens of revellers bought last-minute outfits before the parade.

“We have the Trump, (President Joe) Biden and (Vice President Kamala) Harris masks,” said store clerk Joey Katz, 22, a student at Hunter College.

“The Trump masks, I couldn’t even give you a count, I’ve sold five to 10 a day. The Kamala masks I’ve sold one or two the whole season,” he said.

“People want to do the voice and do the hands – it’s a fun impersonation. That’s why all eyes are on (Trump), it’s entertaining.”

Trump masks were available in a variety of shapes and sizes, and hung alongside an elephant mask in the bustling store.

Near the parade route, Jay Munez, 29, from Trump’s native Queens borough of New York wore a red Trump hat unironically, saying: “I support that man 100 percent.”

The parade was led by a crowd of skeletons, one of which had a suspiciously extended red tie reminiscent of Trump’s own wardrobe choices.

On Saturday, the New York Young Republican Club staged its annual rooftop “MAGAWEEN” party – a reference to former president Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.

One attendee dressed up as Trump from his turn working at a McDonald’s fast-food outlet, while another dressed as a pro-LGBTQ, pro-Palestinian protester.