East Village, NYC: Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade Marks Its 36th Year on Avenue B

The Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, a fixture of the East Village autumn, reached its 36th edition on Saturday, October 17. Costumed dogs and their owners marched along Avenue B in a procession run by the nonprofit New York Dog Parade, which describes the day as a celebration of dog-human friendship.

The parade stepped off at 11am. Registered marchers had been emailed an arrival time, and check-in opened as early as 9am. Watching cost nothing, and spectators were advised to claim a spot along Avenue B between 7th and 11th Streets before 11.

Dogs that weren't signed up to march still had somewhere to go. The Dog Parade Festival Block, on 6th Street between Avenues B and C, ran from 10am to 4pm with treats, photo opportunities and surprises. It gave owners a way to dress up a pet and join the atmosphere without being part of the procession.

The organizers also sold an official event T-shirt, through an online apparel shop, and enamel pins through the New York brand Doheny, both to support the parade. The group highlighted October as adopt-a-shelter-dog month, with a "Parade Buddy" adoption feature. Its sponsor list included pet-food and care companies such as Kismet, along with animal organizations including the ASPCA and NYC Animal Care Centers.

New York Dog Parade is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and its website also offers donation and volunteer sign-ups. For Japanese-speaking New Yorkers with dogs, or simply dog lovers, it is one of the neighborhood's friendliest ways to meet people. It is worth keeping in mind for next year's Halloween season.