At last year’s Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, two dogs sat in a pink toy convertible, balloons trailing behind them. A black dog peered through the teeth of a giant plant costume.
This year’s parade, its 36th, includes a costume contest and a street festival.
In the organizer’s announcement, Fern Watt, founder of New York Dog Parade, said someone had emailed about dressing a dog as frozen yogurt.
It started at the dog run
The parade began as a small gathering at Tompkins Square’s dog run. The run opened in 1990 after local dog owners pushed for a safe place to gather with their pets. The Parks Department required the community to fund and manage it, so owners raised money and organized volunteers.
In 2019, the parade paid for new turf in the small-dog run.
If you’re going
- Parade: Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 11 a.m.
- Route: South on Avenue B, from East 13th Street to East 7th Street, by Tompkins Square Park.
- Spectator arrival: Organizers suggest 10–10:30 a.m. for spectators.
- Street festival: East 6th Street between Avenues B and C, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Watching: No registration or dog required. Registration to march is full.
All times are local to New York. Check the organizer’s latest details before heading out.
