After being cancelled in 2020 because of COVID, the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade returned for its 30th edition on Saturday (10/23) at East River Park Amphitheater. It's the event's third year happening in East River Park instead of its previous home, the Tompkins Square Park Dog Run, although whether it will be able to return there for a fourth, or will need to find another new location, remains to be seen. Work is scheduled to begin on a controversial flood control plan to remake the park, which would close 60% of it and take at least four years, the week of November 1. Protestors with East River Park Action hung signs, handed out papers, and rode bikes through the amphitheater grounds throughout the day, chanting "save our park."
If it is the dog parade's final year at East River Amphitheater, it went out with a bang; this year's edition drew the largest crowd the event has had yet, with hundreds of costumed canines and their owners, and thousands of spectators. Doggy costumes included hot dogs, Pokemon, Big Bird, cows, bats, essential workers, butterflies, a garbage can, the Pope, a stick of butter, cowboys, Devo, Prince, Squid Game characters, Dunkin Donuts coffee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (in her "tax the rich" Met Gala dress), sharks, spiders, pumpkins, Dumbo, The Addams Family, Pinhead, Sherlock Holmes, and more. See pictures below.