The Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, with a new name, returns to Tompkins Square Park

The 2022 version of the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade has a new name — and a familiar location. 

Organizers have announced that this year's event, now known as the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Festival, is taking place on Oct. 22, starting at 1 p.m. in Tompkins Square Park. Dan Schachner, a former NFL referee who now serves as host of the Puppy Bowl, is the host. 

Find details about registering your dog and serving as a volunteer at this link.

The Dog Parade/Festival, which outgrew Tompkins Square Park, took place in East River Park in 2018, 2019 and 2021. (That venue is no longer available.) The 2020 pandemic version was mostly virtual, with a small in-person/dog event at Lucky on Avenue B.

Building issues temporarily KOs HAGS on 1st Avenue

Photos by Steven

Two-plus months after opening at 163 First Ave., HAGS has temporarily closed due to some issues in the building between 10th Street and 11th Street. 

Owners Telly Justice and Camille Lindsley explained the situation in an Instagram post from Friday: 

We're so grateful for the outpouring of love and support we’ve received in the short time since HAGS opened its doors. Our team and our guests truly mean the world to us. 

Because it's in our nature to be as transparent as humanly possible, we must share the sad news that due to long-standing inherited, unsafe structural damage and plumbing issues in our building, we are temporarily closing HAGS until further notice. Our team and our guests' safety is our utmost priority, so we'll be working with the support of our new landlord to rebuild what needs fixing as quickly as possible. Send us speedy vibes! 

HAGS, described as a restaurant "for Queers and everyone else," opened on July 20 with a variety of tasting menus, including a "pay what you can" option on Sundays. 

You can follow the HAGS Instagram account for updates.

The address is notable to some food aficionados for being where David Chang's Momofuku empire got its start .... first as the home of Noodle Bar (2004) before it moved a few storefronts away... later becoming Momofuku Ko for six years (2008-2014), which moved to a larger space on Extra Place ... and then the first outpost of his Fuku fried chicken sandwich chain (2015-2018).

The retail space had been vacant since Fuku closed in the spring of 2018.

At the Blessing of the Animals today at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Pet owners turned out this morning for the annual Blessing of the Animals at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on Avenue B at Ninth Street.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by to watch Pastor Will in action in this celebration of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

There was a variety of doggos... and one owner even brought his late pet in a cremation box... 

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a reader-submitted photo from 1st Street) ...

• At long last, workers remove the sidewalk bridge from around Mariana Bracetti Plaza (Tuesday) 

• Little Amal made a big impression on the Lower East Side (Thursday) 

• A look inside the former Gracefully storefront on Avenue A, vacant now for nearly 8 years (Wednesday) 

• A short walk with a tall man (Thursday) 

• New cat owner opens Cosmic Cat Cafe on 2nd Street (Monday) 

• The Juicy Lucy kiosk returns to service on 1st Street (Friday) 

• Davey's Ice Cream officially debuts today in new 9th Street shop (Friday) 

• Solo Pizza has closed on Avenue B (Wednesday) 

• Art gallery Amanita debuts on the Bowery (Thursday) 

• Openings: MayRee on 1st Street (Wednesday)

• A Parish Picnic outside St. Stanislaus on 7th Street (Sunday)

• Buka bringing Nigerian cuisine to 1st Avenue (Monday) 

• La Pizza Italiya taking over the Baker's Pizza space on Avenue A (Monday) 

• City removes tree with Dutch elm disease from Tompkins Square Park (Thursday) 

• Empanada Mama makes it signage-on-the-plywood official on 14th and 1st (Friday) 

• To no surprise, 'emergency work' is necessary at the long-empty 6 Avenue B (Wednesday) 

• 345 Cantina takes over for Tableside on 6th Street (Tuesday) 

• Kenneth Cole reopening Bowery outpost with a 'Temporary' concept (Monday) 

• The P.F. Chang's outpost opens on University Place (Tuesday) 

• Yaki Sushi takes over for Hawkers on 14th Street (Monday) 

... and Ben freshened up the Ink on A storefront (66 Avenue A, and one of our favorite shops) this past week... with new paint and a more uncluttered display of magazines... (photo by Stacie Joy) ...

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Prepping for the Pulaski Day Parade

Photo by Derek Berg 

As seen this morning outside St. Stanislaus between Avenue A and First Avenue... today is the 85th annual Pulaski Day Parade on Fifth Avenue. This year's Parade theme is "Marching With Heart, Soul & Love of Polonia."

Hopefully, the weather holds off on the celebration expected to draw thousands of spectators and participants.

Sunday's opening shot

Rain and wind expected throughout the day ... with the greatest chance coming around 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. 

Speaking of wind, not to be alarming, but there is a GALE WARNING (!!!) in effect until 6 p.m. So this is not the day to see if the skiff might be seaworthy. 

Per the Weather Channel: 

WHAT...Northeast winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 35 kt and seas 2 to 4 feet. 

WHERE...Long Island Sound west of Port Jefferson and New Haven, and New York Harbor. 

WHEN...Until 6 PM EDT this evening. 

IMPACTS...Strong winds will cause hazardous seas which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe conditions. 

 Speaking of the Mariners, Seattle made the playoffs this year.

Saturday's parting shot

Photo by Steven 

A moment with Christo, one of the resident red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park... the photo is from atop the Park office ...

RebelMatic in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Here's a flashback to last Saturday ... when the four members of RebelMatic brought their brand of punk and funk to Tompkins Square Park. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was on hand for the band's high-energy set...

The show also featured South Bronx legends 24-7 Spyz, Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello, Incendiary Device and Butterbrain.

Happy Hitchcocktober!

If it's October (it is!), then it's also time for the return of Hitchcocktober to Village East by Angelika on Second Avenue at 12th Street. 

And here's this year's slate of Alfred Hitchcock films: 

• Oct. 5, "The Birds" 

 • Oct. 12, "Rope"

• Oct. 19, "Dial M for Murder" 

 • Oct. 26, "Saboteur" 

• Oct. 31, "Psycho"

You can find ticket info here. And several of the screenings are in the large auditorium — the Jaffe Art Theatre. 

A photo exhibition of hardcore, punk and metal at C-Squat

You can check out the photography of the Worldwide Hardcore Firing Squad at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space/C-Squat on Avenue  C this weekend.

The exhibit features the work of Tim Daley, Rich Zoeller and Steven Messina. Per the invite: "These three photographers (collectively known as the Worldwide Hardcore Firing Squad) have been standing side by side in various photo pits and mosh pits for many years." 

The space is open from 2-5 p.m. this weekend. You can access the free show via MoRUS, 155 Avenue C between Ninth Street and 10th Street. 

Meanwhile, here's a look at the photos and space via EVG contributor Stacie Joy ...

Saturday's opening shot

Bowery and Houston this morning... where the retails space on the southwest corner has been vacant since Cherche Midi, Keith McNally's French brasserie, closed in June 2018. 

And now turning to the weather... as the National Weather Service puts it, expect wet, cool and breezy conditions today.

A decent amount of rain is expected this weekend. Here are the latest forecast amounts. #NYwx #CTwx #NJwx #NYCwx pic.twitter.com/BaaosKLGo7

— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) September 30, 2022

Next up, sports....

6 posts from September

The team at Solo Pizza as the pizzeria closes on Avenue B. Photo by Stacie Joy. 

A mini month in review... 

• Big changes are coming to the iconic skate spot in Tompkins Square Park (Sept. 13) 

• Astor Wines & Spirits has new owners — its employees (Sept. 13) 

• Here's a look at the proposed designs for the new East River Park amphitheater (Sept. 8)

• J. Crew confirmed for the Bowery (Sept. 6) 

• Unsafe levels of arsenic found in the drinking water at Riis Houses; when did city officials know? (Sept. 3) 

• Tenant concern as longtime family-owned residential buildings sell for $58 million (Sept. 1)