Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade Is Back on, and It’s Bigger Than Ever

If you, like us, thought that even dogs had been hounded by the trying financial times, we’re here to tell you, yes, they had–but only temporarily.

The doggie Halloween parade, which had been a howling success for over three decades, was running into some “ruff” times and was in danger of being scrapped this year due to lack of financial support.

That would be a big blow. CNN has called it, “The biggest Halloween contest in the world for dogs.” And Time magazine once asked: “Where else can you see a corgi dressed as French fries and a bulldog triceratops strut down a runway?”

Now thanks to a coalition of supporters, the intervention of city council member Carlina Rivera and a pet wellness company, Get Joy, the doggie fashion show and parade has been saved. The dog owners and their pooches will be ready to “bow wow” us once again.

On Sep. 27, all seemed lost when Joseph Borduin, the lead organizer of the Halloween dog parade in recent years, put out a statement on tspdogrun, the official Instagram account of Tompkins Square Park Dog Run, that read, “Despite our best efforts to keep the parade going, with ongoing building work in both our local parks, there was just no way to hold the parade this year.” Borduin–who’s been organizing the event for the last four years–had been planning this year’s event for months to ensure he had the necessary permits and could accommodate the growing crowds. However, despite his best efforts, he faced several roadblocks from the city agencies, police, and NYC Parks Department. But the final nail in the coffin was when he found out he was expected to pay $45,000 for permits, on top of $10,000 for a stage and a $6,000 fee to the Parks Department. That’s when he decided to take a step back and call it.

Soon enough, everyone had heard the news and was devastated by it. The post itself drew a series of oh no’s and howls of protest. “We’re so sad,” read one. “I was so excited to take my dogs this year,” lamented another who initially thought the parade had gone to the dogs. The comments spread wide and quickly within the canine community.

“We first saw the cancellation news on @showmenoodz post and, like the rest of the canine community in New York City, we were dismayed! This parade is an NYC institution that has been going on for thirty-plus years, and we couldn’t believe it wasn’t going to happen,” said Tom Arrix, the founder of Get Joy, in an email interview with Our Town Downtown.

That’s until he realized, “We can help save this thing!” Arrix runs a company that works on improving the lives of dogs and families physical, mental, and spiritual health–the cancellation of this event meant one of the most joyful events of the year was being snuffed, taking away from the joy that these families and dogs would’ve experienced.

“I immediately knew we needed to help,” said Arrix. What followed next, apart from a sponsorship partnership between the Tompkins Square Park Dog Run Foundation and Get Joy, was “a Halloween miracle.”

Around the same time, Councilmember Carlina Rivera worked on bringing together members of City Hall, the city’s Parks Department, SAPO, and the NYPD to find a way to reduce the costs and keep the tradition going. Rivera’s efforts helped reduce the permit required from almost $50,000 to $5,000 in coordination with the city’s Open Streets program.

“I am very happy to have been able to support the organizers of the Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade to revive this annual event that brings joy to so many and helps support the park’s public dog run,” Rivers said in a statement. “This was possible thanks to the tireless work of Joseph Borduin, the many volunteers who help throughout the year, and the Mayor’s Office, who recognized the importance of this cultural phenomenon that started in Tompkins and is looked forward to year after year,” she said.

This year, the parade will have an official route for the first time, from 14th Street and Avenue B to Seventh Street, with the judging still happening in Tompkins Square Park. “This is the Met Gala of the canine community,” said Fern Watt, an author who writes books on dogs and is also the lead at Friends of First Run, the non-profit putting on the parade. Watt has been working closely with Joseph Borduin in helping plan and organize the upcoming parade and will also be judging this year’s costumes. Apart from cheerful and innovative outfits, attendees will also see several Get Joy-centric experiences on the parade route, from VW vans to bike carts.

“I’m looking forward to being at the parade with my dog Theo,” said Arrix, who will also be judging the event alongside Watt. When asked how this whole experience has been for him, Arrix said, “It’s been so heartwarming to see the reaction and genuine excitement to the “parade’s back on” news, and it’s cool to see that people understand why we stepped in. There was a comment on an IG post that said “how perfect that a company called Get Joy has literally gotten us joy!” which I love! That sums it up–it’s all for the joy of dogs and their families.”