New Yorkers Recreate Iconic 'Lunch atop a Skyscraper' Photo for Halloween Parade

A group of New Yorkers, including a couple with Bronx roots, have meticulously recreated the iconic 1932 photograph "Lunch atop a Skyscraper" for this year's Village Halloween Parade. The elaborate costume features five participants dressed as the ironworkers eating lunch on a beam 850 feet above street level during the construction of Rockefeller Center.

Christina Simon Ciurdar, one of the participants and a creator of the costume, shared that no detail was spared in the recreation. The ensemble includes a newspaper, a lunchbox with a sandwich, and clothing in the black, white, and gray palette of the original photograph. The pants are filled with polyfill and dangled from a foam beam to simulate the appearance of sitting, with wires running through the legs to maintain a bend and keep shoes attached.

To enhance the illusion, a string of Christmas lights is incorporated under the beam to mimic twinkling windows, particularly effective as darkness falls during the evening parade. The group, which includes Ciurdar, her husband Ben, another couple, and Ciurdar's sister, aimed for authenticity in their portrayal.

The Ciurdars, who now reside in Tampa, Florida, returned to Queens a week before the parade for preparation. The construction of the costume took three days, preceded by three days of planning and sourcing materials. Ciurdar, an artist and manager at Citi, and her husband have been participating in the parade since 2014.

Previously, the group secured general admission tickets, which were free but involved long waits. Now, they opt for $125 tickets that allow them to bypass the queues and enter the parade early. This also facilitates the assembly of their increasingly elaborate costumes on-site, as they transport the components via subway.

The Village Halloween Parade, a tradition dating back to 1974, spans from Canal Street to 15th Street. Organizers anticipate approximately 80,000 participants and over 2 million spectators for this year's event. The parade route covers roughly 1.4 miles.

Past group costumes created by Ciurdar and her friends include a deck of cards in 2021, which she also handmade and was featured widely in the media. In 2022, they tackled "The Wizard of Oz," a project Ciurdar described as challenging and prompted the group to move away from character-based costumes. In 2024, they portrayed New York City landmarks: the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and Yankee Stadium.

Ciurdar noted that the landmark costume was the most time-consuming due to the need for precise, linear painting and the extensive color palette required. The group's deliberate pace during the parade, she humorously added, often causes others to become impatient as they prioritize allowing everyone to appreciate their intricate creations.