Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Given the many unknowns and last-minute approvals (we documented this here), the 34th edition of the Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade on Saturday was as chaotic as expected — at least behind the scenes.
This year, the event was reduced to a parade processional only — there were no contests, judges, emcees, stage, or prizes. Anyone interested in walking in the parade with their dressed-up pooch had to register at 13th Street and Avenue B. The parade started on Avenue A and 13th Street and ended at Seventh Street.
The city placed barricades along Avenue A for parade watchers — and they turned out in droves.
The city seemed to underestimate how many people might be interested in watching a well-known and publicized event featuring adorable dogs in costumes on a picture-perfect fall day.
First, let's look at the participants... there were many clever and creative costumes (nicely done, given the last-minute scramble to announce how to participate)...
The beginning of the parade got underway OK at 12:30 p.m. (30 minutes earlier than advertised), though it was slow going. The NYPD's Community Affairs unit led the march on Avenue A. (In hindsight, letting the participants go one at a time instead of in a mob may have been better.)
While there was a heavy police presence, sources told us that the NYPD called in law-enforcement reinforcements who were previously working the National Indigenous Peoples of the Americas Parade on 26th Street and Madison Avenue.
The NYPD stopped the parade at 1:19 p.m., and after all the wristbands were dispersed, no more attendees were permitted. Regardless, several people either created fake wristbands or snuck into the parade.
The police formed a human chain to move everyone back and set up barricades to prevent people from entering Tompkins Square Park from Avenue A. 
People eventually streamed into the Park anyway, which isn't set up to handle large crowds without more than three porta-potties.
The Park field house remains under renovation. The city will supply additional porta-potties for events like the Dance Parade and the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, though no one thought to do this for the Dog Parade. (Last year's edition was initially canceled, then revived and included a parade on Avenue B and a costume contest in the center of Tompkins.)
There were other issues, such as the fact that no volunteers from the New York City Community Emergency Response Team (NYC CERT) showed up to assist as promised.
Joseph Borduin, the volunteer parade producer, was left frustrated and angry over the city's ongoing lack of cooperation and the long wait with bureaucratic stumbling blocks to get the event up and running in the hours before.
Officials dragged their feet on scheduling a walkthrough with city agencies to approve the parade route, which meant Bourduin and his organizers couldn't release any details for participants until the last minute.
It's possible that we saw our last Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade. The event and the crowds it attracts have simply outgrown the Park — even when large swaths aren't closed for construction.
The Dog Parade/Festival occurred in East River Park in 2018, 2019 and 2021. A mostly tree-less East River Park, currently gutted with few available amenities, is several years away from being usable.
Ultimately, finding volunteers willing to endure the thankless chore and stress of navigating the maze of city bureaucracy may be difficult.
36 comments:
Before all the routine complaing and accusations (the cops! the city! the mayor!) begin, let me just say that the east village was full of people having fun all day and evening long. You couldn't find an empty seat at any restaurant and bar at the St Marx open street, either indoor or outdoor. Dogs and their owners filled up the street, eating and drinking. That was different from a regular Saturday, the crowd seemed partly different too. I bet it was the best day for local businesses all summer and autumn long.
That's it, now you're free to resume the cryings.
Please move this "event" to anyplace other than the East Village. Every day is a dog parade already and little green bags of shit are the confetti. Other than that dog "cult" cafe on 12th street, this overbred pet show benefits nobody.
TOTALLY AGREE!
Wow. Imagine living life as negatively at 7:10am. I hope you find something lighthearted to smile about today.
Now to figure out which of these pups to vote for Nov. 5.
The Bow Wow party.
The cop on 10th and I was telling everyone to go TO Tompkins…
I personally have mixed feelings here….
Yes the dog parade is cute but as it has become so large and commercial, there is a sense of concern about how many resources and money is spent on this….
With friends, my partner and I “benefitted” from restaurant dining on St. Mark’s. But there too, the discomfort with the “entertainment “ lifestyle that is now prioritized over basic daily life.
There are still EV residents who work, who need to do errands, shop for groceries, help relatives. That is so much harder when streets closed, buses detoured for “open streets” or street fairs etc.
As for local businesses, same thing - some benefit but some do not. It is not an equal result.
Wow now I miss the old smoke ins of daze gone by
Dogs have taken over the city.
I agree. There should be no parades ever. Open streets should never happen. Everyone should be in their homes by 8 pm. No one should go outside for anything other than work. We should also all wear the same clothing so that no one feels left out.
I love Halloween and I love costuming, but conceding that we live in an age of adults acting like children, adults treating dogs like their children and children treated like adults, why can’t the dog parade people chill out and wait to go to the REAL Halloween parade on October 31? How many Halloweens does an adult really need, especially this election year which has been spooky and absurd for ten months now?
It was a picture perfect day, with more smiles and laughs than could be counted. Was it a bit of a hassle navigating the crowd in the afternoon? Sure. But it was impossible not to get caught up in the good vibes with all of the happy people and pups... who cares if it took a few minutes to navigate around?
This is a really unique, fun event that brings the whole city (and beyond) to our neighborhood. Echoing the top comment, Saturday might have been the best day for local businesses all year long. I wish the EVGrumps could embrace this event instead of whining about it. The crowds cleared up within in a few hours and everyone could go about their day... no biggie.
What a shame such a fun and community-oriented event got turned into what seemed an excuse to put up barricades and get lots of police involved. NYC seems incapable of working with communities any more to facilitate, organize and support community services and events--it's all top down bureaucracy now. I guess this is the sort of police-heavy and discombobulated event we can expect going forward in a city that seems primarily devoted to making big development and real estate deals happen for a few bigwigs.
Cute dogs and humans. There's something surreal about a line of police officers pushing back crowds of well-heeled dog owners in TSP that drives home how different life is in the EV these days.
The most iconic Halloween dog parade in the world! Come on East Village — carry on the tradition
So the mostly peaceful Tompkins Square dog parade is too much for the police & city administrators to handle? But not the endless protests at Union Square, Washington Square and all over the city. Geesh. “Sorry Mam. We have our orders. The park is off limits to Snow White and her seven mini bernedoodles.”
Yep stay outta my hood
I walked down ST Marks on Sat to pick up dinner around 8 and the street was bustling in a good way. Every restaurant and bar was packed I was surprised
Pizza Rat Lives!
Nice to see these comments were just as unhinged as I expected! Good reporting tho as always.
You could always move if your surroundings are so bad.
I would like to know how much of a benefit the dog park received as this tradition started as a way to support the dog run. I hope all involved realize that this event is too big for the neighborhood to handle now. Our neighborhood is already a playground for tourists and 20 somethings at the expense of residents who have been down roots and intend to stay including parents with children. All the families I know have come to dread this more than Santacon because of the sheer size of the crowds.
Classic NIMBY
Sorry. for being honest, you sure had no problem leaving a harsh comment as well. Mine was pointed at a dumb parade, your comment was directed to another human being which does not think as you do, But perhaps that is the world you want to live, dog parade lover or get lost.!
pissing you off did make me smile
Big crowds and turn from fun to a stamped in seconds. Thank goodness the cops were there because is someone was injured everyone would bitch about "where the cops?"
The City Hall dysfunction angle is so pathetically standard for Adams.
I like all the festival days in and around the park though I participate in few or none and did have to HORRORS walk out of my because of crowds of costumed dogs and owners. Any sliver of flavor is appreciated in this age of dry silicon cash and (do we still call them?) yuppie sports bar culture.
Great post. Standard EV Grieve high quality! And the Grump Squad did not disappoint. I wish I had a costumed dog on a Citibike picture for some hilarious trolling.
Same process as what ruined the Village Halloween Parade, which originally was a really fun, creative, quirky LOCAL event, but now it's hyped to the max & commercialized & televised.
Yes between this event, good weather and comic-con Saturday was a busy day in the city. Participants put a lot of work to dress up their cute furry friends.
Love dogs, hate all the annoying people this brings and it's way too big for the park
It was fun. Grumpy fools.
Every year, this particular occasion elicits a plethora of salty comments. As a long term resident of the EV, I deliberately stayed in with my cat, who was beyond grateful that he wasn't coerced into wearing a costume or being paraded in front of hundreds of people. I do appreciate and love dogs, but cats are less effort and more low key. They don't have patience for silly stuff like this. I can't imagine anyone bestowing this much attention on our feline fur babies. I do miss the days when this was more of an intimate event for fellow neighbors with little to no fan fare. I understand why many are opposed to it because of the chaos and closures. It can become a public nuisance for some. I delayed my errands until Sunday as I didn't wish to face the crowds. From the photos, it seemed everyone had a wonderful time. I just wish the city will offer another location or alternative in 2025 for this as it grows in size annually. Happy Halloween!
Nailed it. Plus, using your dog to get attention for yourself might be worse than using your children. At least the kids can scream and whine!
I had spent the day in Brooklyn and returned to the neighborhood and felt like I'd missed a giant storm or something. Sounds like I was right, LOL.
Agreed!
Heard the guy that runs this being interviewed on WNYC. He seemed irritated with all the red tape the city put up on him this year. Commented that his real comments couldn’t be said on the radio lol! Curious how this tradition will be upheld in the upcoming years.
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