Photos by Stacie Joy
The 33rd edition of the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade takes place tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 21. (Yes, the event was canceled this year, then revived via sponsor Get Joy, a Connecticut-based dog wellness company. Details here.)
Given that a sizable portion of Tompkins Square Park is closed for construction (here and here), the city has OK'd extending the event onto parts of Avenue B and Seventh Street.
The info here comes from the Dog Parade website:
The day consists of a walking parade down Avenue B (free and open to all) and an exclusive costume competition in the park (also free, but limited space and wristbands available. Wristbands are available the day of the event, first come, first serve).To join the parade in your costumes, meet at 13th Street & Avenue B. (Do not meet in Tompkins Square Park!) Spectators can watch the parade on Avenue B from 12th Street to 7th Street. The parade is rain or shine and begins at 1 p.m. There is no registration to walk in the parade.To have a chance to compete in the exclusive costume competition (or score a free wristband to watch), arrive at 12th Street and Avenue B no later than 12:30 p.m. The waiting area for the parade opens at 12 p.m. Judges will be selecting their favorite costumes to compete in the competition from 12-1:30 p.m.
The map (via the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade Instagram account) shows the parade route, which starts at 12th Street and Avenue B... heads south to Seventh Street, where the parade turns right and enters Tompkins at the entrance mid-block...
Some specifics about timing:
1 p.m.: Parade kick-off
1:45 p.m.: Interview finalists
2 p.m.: Best in Show begins
2:30 p.m.: Best in Show winners are crowned
And for the bullet-point crowd:
• This event is open to all, and attendance is free
• The first 600 paradegoers will receive wristbands, giving them access to march in the parade and access the park/contest stage and Seventh Street (first-come, first-serve basis)
• Event is rain or shine
• During the parade, a panel of judges will select canines and their humans to advance to an exclusive costume competition on the park stage
And what about parking in the area? Like, if you live here and have a car that might typically be parked along Avenue B or Seventh Street... this info comes via the 9th Precinct:
No parking on both sides of the street on Avenue B from 14th Street to Seventh Street, and no parking on Seventh Street between Avenue A and Avenue B (both sides of the street). Starts Friday at midnight, ends Saturday at 9 p.m.
Per a spokesperson at the 9th: "Tow trucks will be towing people, but we'd rather get the word out to the community ahead of time."
Otherwise, enjoy!
14 comments:
I love this event!
Also, just in case anyone reading this has the thought to just leave their car parked and have the city tow it to another spot, we got a flat once when they did that so would not recommend!
great map. did you consider adding avenues?
Eskapee,
The map is from the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade Instagram account. You can put in a request with them to add avenues.
unpopular opinion, Tompkins should become a plaza and the surrounding streets should be closed permanently.
Love the emphasized enjoy you snuck in at the bottom :)
SO EXCITED!!! And can't WAIT to see all the adorable dogs dressed up! And to Anonymous, who is suggesting that surrounding streets be closed permanently: I'd support the entire CITY being pedestrian only but regarding TSP, it sure would be nice if the park were clean, functional, well-lit, not full of garbage and hypodermic needles and drug dealers BEFORE they expand to adjacent streets. When they finish fixing the park, sure, work on more public space.
Invigorating
Wristbands line wait, hard pass.
The pups hate to be dressed in these costumes and paraded around with a crowd of 600 people. Have you ever seen how traumatized they are by these huge crowds? It's their owners that love it not the pups. It's animal cruelty if you ask me.
Wait - you need a 'wristband' to watch?
From the referenced url: ...exclusive costume competition (or score a free wristband to watch)
Some dogs like it, some dogs don't. I know some dogs who love the human attention costumes bring and some who couldn't stand it. (Mine definitely could not.)
Most owners know the difference, if for no other reason than dogs are perfectly capable of refusing to walk the parade route if they're freaked out.
So it's 1AM, and NYPD tow trucks are clearing Ave B up. The avenue is bumper to bumper of parked car, all missed or ignored the no parking orange signs.
Try looking for your car on Ave C. Great start to your weekend!
I think the wristbands are for the competitors, not spectators.
Grieve, you get A LOT of crap and filter so much negativity from certain readers for no good reason and you always just take it like a professional.
Most of your readers appreciate you and your reporting and I’m one of them!
Thanks 7:05!
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