- There were 15,000 animal lovers in attendance as the event, for the first time, had an official parade route along Avenue B from 12th to Seventh Streets
- Around 600 people registered for the costume competition for their dogs, and the winner was determined by the loudest applause from the audience
- Pookah, the Upper West Side dwarf, was crowned the winner with her Winnie the Pooh-inspired outfit
More than 600 pups strutted in their best costumes for the 33rd annual Halloween Dog Parade in New York City on Saturday.
More than 15,000 animal lovers were in attendance as the event, for the first time, had an official parade route along Avenue B from 12th to Seventh Streets.
The dogs posed on carts, were leashed and carried in their owners’ arms.
Around 600 people registered for the costume competition for their dogs. The jury nominated the top 40 before narrowing the number down to six and the winner being determined by the loudest applause from the audience.
Pookah, the Upper West Side dwarf, was crowned the winner with her Winnie the Pooh-inspired outfit. She wore a red sweatshirt, sat in a fake pot of honey and won best dressed.
Pookah, the Upper West Side dwarf, was crowned the winner in her Winnie the Pooh-inspired outfit along with her owners, who were dressed as Piglet and Tigger
She wore a red sweatshirt, sat in a fake pot of honey and won best dressed
More than 15,000 animal lovers were in attendance as the event, for the first time, had an official parade route along Avenue B from 12th to Seventh Streets
Apart from Pookah, others were also inspired by films in which this dog and his owner appeared as characters from the Barbie movie
A cute dog was seen wearing a costume that read “Letting the Dogs Out,” in reference to the popular Baha Men hit “Who Let The Dogs Out?” while he was disguised as a criminal
In addition to the bizarre and varied costumes, some dog owners also took the opportunity to dress up
The movie theme continued with this couple dressed like the Joker from Batman
Otherworldly costumes like this dog dressed as an alien were also a common theme
Organizers of the East Village event almost canceled it this year because their Tompkins Square venue had outgrown, but luckily the event went off without a hitch
What started as a small gathering of friends for Halloween has become a cornerstone of New York City’s spooky season, drawing thousands to the East Village
In order to hold the parade and costume contest, organizers had to close the streets
Last month, organizers announced the cancellation, sparking backlash on social media before help stepped in – but that day it was all smiles because the event was not received positively
The event was revived with support from Mayor Eric Adams’ office, who coordinated with multiple agencies to obtain the proper permits and reduce costs
Jurassic Park was also part of the costumes for the spooky event
Although the annual event attracts 15,000 people, it has yet to become official
Parade numbers nearly doubled from last year as people took their time thinking about costumes
Last year there were only 8,000 people, but this year 15,000 people flocked to the village
Some recent comments were also found in costumes such as this couple who appeared as Parisian bed bugs
Local pet owners were also excited to learn the parade was back and spent many months planning their pet costumes