Say boo with your pooch at Riverside Park’s inaugural Halloween Pup Parade on Saturday, October 26.
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The Riverside Park Conservancy has invited dogs and their humans to paw-ticipate in the first-ever Halloween Pup Parade and costume contest, which will begin at the promenade on West 116th Street at noon.
“Pups are encouraged to don their most creative costumes as we parade through the park, spreading Halloween cheer and cuteness overload! Whether you come dressed as a tiny pumpkin or a fierce superhero, all breeds, sizes, and spooky styles are welcome,” read an announcement email from the Riverside Park Conservancy. They also highly encourage group themes and wagon entries.
Pup Parade assembly and check-in starts at noon at the promenade in Riverside Park at West 116th Street. The procession will begin at 12:30 p.m., with pooches and their companions making their way to Ellington in the Park by the West 105th Dog Run, where everyone will gather for lots of Halloween fun.
The contest will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Ellington in the Park. A spokesperson for the Riverside Park Conservancy mentioned that judges will be present for the event. Then, at 2 p.m., it’s Halloween party time for everyone to do the monster mash while mingling and connecting with fellow members of the Riverside Park dog community.
To walk in the Pup Parade and enter the costume contest, the Riverside Park Conservancy asks participants to register using this form by October 20.
The Conservancy is also looking for sponsors for the Pup Parade, which comes with some pretty paw-some perks, they say. Anyone interested should contact devorah@riversideparknyc.
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“We’re paws-itively thrilled to welcome the Riverside Park dog community to our inaugural Halloween Pup Parade! This event will give our neighborhood the opportunity to showcase its special brand of canine creativity right here at home, without having to travel to another part of the city. And the long, skinny geography of our Park makes it the perfect spot for a truly pup-tastic processional,” said Merritt Birnbaum, the Conservancy’s President & CEO. “We can’t wait to see the adorable costumes our local pups will wear, but also to celebrate the special bond between dogs, their humans, and our beautiful park.”
Riverside Park has gained additional fame in recent years for its ‘Goatham Goats’ initiative, where a group of goats is brought in every summer to help eliminate invasive weeds, poison ivy, and other invasive species in the park. People vote on their favorite goat of the season, culminating in a big celebration at the end of their internships.
However, dogs have emerged as the new kids on the block in Riverside Park, as the Conservancy produced its first-ever Riverside Park Dog Calendar in 2024, where people could submit pictures of their pooches to be included. Also, there was that puppy party last year.
