Free NYC Halloween Dog Parades Kick Off Saturday, Oct 17
Costumed dogs take over Avenue B for the 36th Tompkins Square parade, with two more free dog shows to round out October.
🎃 The Main Event: Tompkins Square Parade
The 36th Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade is the one to plan around. It steps off at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 17, along Avenue B between East 11th and East 7th Streets, and organizers advise spectators to arrive before 11:00 AM for a curbside spot. Watching is free, with no ticket and no dog required, and marcher registration is already full. Last year's lineup included a stroller packed with Minions, a dog dressed as a Labubu and a pup posed behind a presidential podium. The Festival Block on East 6th Street between Avenues B and C runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with pet photo spots and rescue groups.
🎭 Before the Parade: Washington Square Contest
Earlier the same morning, the Washington Square Park Conservancy holds its free Dog Halloween Costume Contest at Garibaldi Plaza from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. No pre-registration is needed to compete. The contestant line opens at 9:30 AM and closes at 10:30 AM. Avenue B is about a 25-minute walk east. Leaving around 10:30 AM, after the first round, still reaches the Tompkins step-off.
🐕 Oct 24: Riverside Park Pup Parade
A week later, on Saturday, October 24, the Riverside Park Pup Halloween Parade runs north from Dinosaur Playground at West 96th Street to Ellington in the Park at West 105th Street. Check-in opens at 12:00 PM, the march steps off at 12:30 PM, and the costume contest follows at 1:30 PM. Dogs joining the march need free online registration by October 19. The rain date is Sunday, October 25.
