Pooches Show Off Their Boo-tiful Costumes At The Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade

Halloween dog parades, where pooches get to strut around in cute and creative outfits, are a common occurrence. However, few compare to the one held at Tompkins Square Park in New York City. Now in its 26^th year, the competition, which doubles up as a fundraiser, attracts over 300 dogs and is famous for its outrageous, over-the-top, Halloween costumes, many of which are custom-made by professional designers. This year was no exception.

On Saturday, October 22, about 6,000 New Yorkers braved the gloomy weather and the occasional rain showers to cheer on the four-legged contestants dressed in their little costumes. Among them was a Chihuahua disguised as a lion, one bulldog impersonating the Hulk and another posing as a ballerina. Everyone’s favorite wizard Harry Potter was spotted riding the Hogwart’s Express with his best pals.

Given that we are in an election year, it was not surprising to see several Donald Trump look-alikes, all sporting a white shirt, red tie, and the Presidential candidate’s signature blonde mop! One even wore a red hat that read “Make America Drumpf (the Trump family’s original surname) Again.” Surprisingly, his opponent, Hillary Clinton, was nowhere to be seen.

Owners also got into the spirit by donning matching outfits with their furry friends. There were the Ghostbusters trio, Daenerys Targaryen and her “dragon” dog from the popular television series, Game of Thrones, Hamilton and his crew, as well as Frankenstein’s monster and his bride!

Though all the dogs were winners in their own right, the entry that impressed the judges the most and won the coveted “Best in Show” award was the “Sweet Shoppe.” The elaborate creation emulated an old-fashioned candy store perfectly, with miniature bar stools, gumball machines, jars of delicious sweets and three small dogs disguised as candy!

Have a Happy And Safe Halloween!