Halloween is right around the corner. It is the day when people decorate their homes in cobwebs or anything else you would usually not like to find on your front porch, consume dentist-scaring quantities of sweets and dress up in incredibly niche costumes. Whether you love it, hate it or feel indifferent toward the festivities, there is something that can unite us all: a love for looking at cute animals, especially if they are grinning dogs walking in the Washington Square Park’s Annual Halloween Dog Parade.
On Saturday, Oct. 25, I attended the third annual Washington Square Park Halloween Dog Parade. I arrived there at a little past noon and was greeted by a swarm of wild land and water animals, ghouls and ghosts, and many beloved characters that had become lovely costumes for all kinds of dogs. Many were dressed incredibly and creatively—I was at a loss for words. Some people were matching with their furry friends, making the ultimate duo costumes: angels and devils, zookeepers and lions, and Scooby Doo and Shaggy. Some people carried their dressed-up companions, others were wheeled around in equally decorated pet strollers and still several walked side by side on leashes, ropes or on the chains of some ghostly apparition. I saw other people who, like me, had no dog beside them. We came to gawk and admire the waves of princess pooches and haunted hounds. After the parade, a new winner of the costume contest was announced. Congratulations to Jojo Bonjovi and Cruz for the cutest Guns N’ Roses display ever! I must say, though, that I was personally rooting for Mochi, who was dressed as Taylor Swift’s ring finger—talk about creativity!
The Halloween Dog Parade of New York City started as a small event in 1990 in Tompkins Square Park. It was hosted among a group of friends in an effort to create a lasting dog run in the park. This gathering quickly racked up numbers and became a tradition people looked forward to attending in the city. Now, in Tompkins Square Park every October, hundreds of dogs dressed to impress waltz around the East Village, followed by the oohs and aahs of smitten bystanders.
Although Tompkins Square Park’s Halloween Dog Parade has the grandest crowd and the liveliest group of participants, many more dog parades have popped up around the city and nearby neighborhoods. Now, you can find yearly dog parades in Washington Square Park, Riverside Park, Socrates Sculpture Park, Fort Greene Park and so many other parks in the city.
These Halloween pup parades may seem like a silly event to attend—simply an adorable way to kill some time on a slightly chillier weekend—but events like these are so much more important to the community and human connection than we may realize. When I attended the Washington Square Park parade, even just momentarily, I was met with many warm smiles, the laughter of those around me and strangers asking strangers to pet each other’s dogs. People exchanged names and adoption stories, numbers and groomer recommendations. It was lovely being a part of such an open community joined together by a love for animals and their furry friends. It was refreshing to take in all the people talking to each other and making new friends on the spot when so much of our lives are spent avoiding eye contact with one another and being afraid of starting conversations with those we find interesting—even if we just want to say that a person’s dog looks cute. You could really tell that people were genuinely happy to be participating in the parade and that bystanders were also beyond satisfied to be there. People passing by stopped by to see what the event was about and stayed a while, and even then, they did not leave without getting to know the names of a few dogs and their owners. It goes to show just how much of a community-building event these experiences are and how important they are in making everyone’s day just a bit brighter.
Little traditions like these remind us to appreciate the simple pleasures of life. There is happiness in being able to dress up an excited dog, and there is joy in seeing and making connections with those around you. After attending this event, I can only hope that we get to see some dolled-up dogs on campus for Halloween soon!