Home > Howl-O-Ween in the East Village: The Unbreakable Spirit of the Tompkins Square Dog Parade

Howl-O-Ween in the East Village: The Unbreakable Spirit of the Tompkins Square Dog Parade

A look at the wild, weird, and wonderful history of the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade... and why it almost didn't happen.
Disclaimer: All images and stories on this site are meant to evoke the atmosphere of Halloween, some real, some imagined, all in good fun.

Every October, dogs in New York's East Village get dressed up. We're talking Pope-dogs, pizza-rat pugs, and whole casts of Wes Anderson movies... but on four legs. This is the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, a wild tradition with a surprisingly gritty backstory.

A vibrant and chaotic scene from the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, with multiple dogs in elaborate and funny costumes.

The Greatest Dog Show on Earth

Every October, the East Village hosts a bizarre catwalk for dogs. This is the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, and it's a full-on cultural event. You might see a pug as the Pope in his own Popemobile, a pack of poodles as a Wes Anderson cast, or a corgi as a loaf of Wonder Bread.

The air buzzes with happy barks, clicking cameras, and thousands of laughing spectators, who often outnumber the dogs. This yearly get-together celebrates community, art, and the funny bond between people and their pets. It's been called "the Met Gala for the Canine Community" for a reason.

The crowd is a mix of photographers, families, tourists, and Halloween fans, all there for the love of dogs and absurdity. The parade happens even when the official contest is cancelled, showing it's really about community expression and joy. It’s a true NYC institution.

It All Started with a Fight

The parade looks fun, but it started with a fight to reclaim a neighborhood park. In the mid-1980s, Tompkins Square Park was considered dangerous and rundown. Local dog owners had no safe place for their pets to run.

A gritty, black and white depiction of Tompkins Square Park in the 1980s, looking run-down and neglected, suggesting its dangerous reputation before revitalization.

So, a group of residents campaigned against City Hall and the Parks Department to get an official off-leash area. After years of pushing, they won. The Tompkins Square Dog Run opened in 1990, the first of its kind in NYC.

But there was a catch: the community had to fund and manage the run themselves. This need for cash led to the parade, created by Garrett Russo who organized it for nearly 30 years. The first one was small, basically an "after-party for the hard-fought community victory."

Becoming a "Beast"

The parade grew. A lot. What started as a small gathering of friends became a world-famous event, with attendance in the 2010s reaching up to 20,000 people.

CNN even called it the "largest dog costume parade in the world". As the crowds grew, so did the costumes, evolving from simple outfits to elaborate, theatrical creations.

The event also became a great fundraiser, raising over $50,000 in a good year for the dog run's upkeep. Its lifetime total topped $200,000. But its success created huge problems.

A Victim of Its Own Success: The parade's popularity became its biggest hurdle. By 2023, the costs for permits, security, and a required $1 million liability insurance policy ballooned to nearly $50,000, threatening to end the beloved community event.

The massive crowds meant street closures, security, and a required $1 million liability insurance policy. By 2023, permits and insurance alone cost around $50,000. An organizer called it a "beast" that was simply "too much for a small dog park to handle," and its own success almost killed it.

The Costumes

Let's be real, everyone comes for the costumes. The creativity is amazing, from simple puns to complex outfits with custom props. The costumes are like a time capsule of what was popular each year... but with dogs.

Pop Culture Hits

Pop culture spoofs are always a hit. People have seen a dapper pup named Mr. Enzo as James Bond (with a toy car) and a Great Dane named Shadow as Maleficent. The entire Addams Family has shown up, perfectly cast with two owners and their two dogs.

A Great Dane impressively dressed as the character Maleficent, complete with iconic black horns and a flowing dark cape, posing at the dog parade.

Dogs have been dressed as characters from Beetlejuice and Grease , the latter with a pompadour and a tiny hot rod. Musical artists are also fair game, with dogs appearing as Charli XCX at her Boiler Room set and a pug as singer Chappell Roan (dubbed "Chappug Roan").

Only in New York

Some of the best costumes are love letters to New York City itself. These are the inside jokes for locals. You might see a corgi dressed as the frustrating L train, a pug as the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball, or a terrier as the city's "Rat Czar".

A small dog cleverly costumed as New York City's famous 'pizza rat,' seen dragging a large slice of prop pizza along the sidewalk.

Other NYC-themed hits include dogs as a mobile "pizza rat," a bodega cat, and a Katz's pastrami sandwich. One was even an ad for the famous subway dermatologist Dr. Zizmor.

Go Big or Go Home

Then there are the truly theatrical creations, where dogs become part of moving sculptures. Think: a pug in a custom Popemobile, a dog inside a Zoltar fortune-telling machine, or a chihuahua at the center of a UFO scene. One winner, Mimi the Bichon, was turned into a floating Pikachu, just like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon.

A pug sitting regally in a custom-built, miniature Popemobile, wearing a papal mitre and vestments, as a contestant in the parade.

These costumes often take months to build. They serve as a funny and sharp archive of what New Yorkers were watching, talking about, and laughing at each year.

All About the Vibe

The parade is a cultural anchor for the East Village and a huge community event. For over 30 years, it has captured the neighborhood's character, artistic, bohemian, eccentric, and fiercely independent. For a few hours, even NYC's famous cynicism disappears.

A heartwarming moment at the parade, showing a smiling child gently petting a golden retriever dressed as a bumblebee, while the owner looks on with pride.

The crowd is a real mix of New Yorkers. Locals, photographers, and tourists all stand side-by-side. It's a special day for pet parents to connect with a big, supportive dog-loving community.

The parade carves out a few hours where strangers connect over a dog in a funny costume. It brings people together and reminds them they can still be creative and have fun as a group. It's a direct counter to the stereotype of the grumpy, rushed New Yorker.

The Year it Almost Died

The parade almost didn't happen in 2023. In late September, organizers announced it was canceled "for the foreseeable future," sending a wave of disappointment across the city.

Organizer Joseph Borduin cited a perfect storm of problems. Construction in the park forced the parade onto city streets, which led to complex permit rules and a massive insurance bill. The estimated cost was nearly $50,000, a sum far beyond what the volunteer group could pay.

The public outcry was huge and got things moving. Local politicians like Councilwoman Carlina Rivera and Mayor Eric Adams's office stepped in. They used the city's Open Streets program to get the permit fees down from $50,000 to a more manageable $5,000.

Meanwhile, Tom Arrix, CEO of pet wellness company Get Joy, saw the news online. His company became the title partner, covering the rest of the costs. This powerful three-way partnership, the passionate community, proactive city government, and a socially-aware corporate sponsor, saved the parade.

Weeks after being canceled, the 33rd parade was back on for October 21, 2023. It was the largest one yet, with its first-ever official, city-approved parade route. The crisis created a new model for how these grassroots events can survive in an expensive city.

How to Go

Want to check out the parade? A little planning helps. The event is free for spectators and is usually held on a Saturday afternoon in late October, from about 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

If you want to march with your dog, registration is also free, but you gotta be on time. It usually starts around 11:30 AM or noon near the parade's start point (recently, Avenue B and 13th Street). You'll get a bracelet to officially enter.

Organizers might cap the number of dogs on a first-come, first-served basis, so get there early. For spectators, the main goal is a good viewing spot. Arrive early to get a spot along the barricades.

Or, show up later (around 2:00 PM) when the costumed dogs are mingling more freely for better photo ops. Good etiquette: always ask before taking a picture of someone's dog.

Pro Tip: The official stage competition can be crowded and chaotic. For the best photos and a more relaxed experience, arrive later in the event (around 2:00 PM) when the costumed dogs and their owners are mingling freely away from the main stage area.

The official contest part can be unpredictable. Traditionally, judges awarded prizes, but in 2024 the event was just a procession with no stage or prizes due to logistical challenges. The best way to know what's happening is to check the official Tompkins Square Park Dog Run social media accounts before you go.

What's Next?

The parade is one of the most unique and joyful NYC celebrations. Its journey from a small act of community pride to a world-famous event is a story of creativity and resilience. It has raised critical funds for the city's first dog run while building a strong community.

But the parade's future is uncertain. Its success created burdens too big for a small volunteer team. Organizer Joseph Borduin plans to step down, hoping a larger group will take over.

The fact that city officials, sponsors, and the public fought to save it shows how important it is. The parade started as a neighborhood party but ended up broadcasting the creative, tough, and communal spirit of New York to the world. Its struggle to survive is really a fight to keep a piece of the city's weird and wonderful soul alive against red tape and rising costs.

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