The Most Adorable Pups From the NYC Halloween Dog Parade

Over the weekend, thousands gathered at New York City's East River Park to enjoy the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade! Jennifer-Jo Moyer, one of the event's organizers, told Newsweek that an estimated 235 dogs arrived in costume ready to compete for various prizes.

Naturally, photos from the event went viral online as social media users couldn't get over how cute each of the dogs looked. In honor of the parade's successful return after last year's virtual showcase, here are some of the most adorable pups from Saturday's event.

Amun the Pomeranian

Amun Dog Parade 2
Over the weekend, thousands gathered at New York City’s East River Park to enjoy the 31st Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade! Pictured above is Ruben Santana with his dog, "Best in Show" winner Amun. Provided/Ruben Santana

Amun was this year's "Best in Show" winner. Ruben Santana, Amun's owner, used the parade as an opportunity to thank healthcare workers for their tireless work throughout the pandemic.

"This event is dear to my heart. Not only did we win, all those who endured the pandemic won," Santana told Newsweek. "The essential workers risked their own health, working long hours. The beauty of this platform allows me to express my artistry and send a message that resonates with all."

According to Moyer, this is Santana's third first-place win and Amun's first.

Cousin It

HERE ARE ALL THE DOGS I SAW AT THE TOMPKINS SQUARE HALLOWEEN DOG PARADE (thread)

Staring with my dog, Cousin It, and my daughter, Wednesday Addams pic.twitter.com/pG7Y8tbf6x

— Ana Breton (@missbreton) October 23, 2021

Filmmaker Ana Breton shared a photo that showed her dog dressed as "Cousin It" standing beside her daughter, who is dressed as "Wednesday Addams." The adorable photo has gone viral with more than 53,000 likes.

"In my opinion, your daughter and doggy stole the show! I absolutely love their costumes. The Addams family is my absolute favorite," said one Twitter user.

"That is so flip'n CUTE," tweeted Missy. "They both look adorable!!"

Dogs Dressed as Food

THE FOUR MAIN FOOD GROUPS pic.twitter.com/11OQgTpB7K

— Ana Breton (@missbreton) October 23, 2021

Breton also shared several photos that showed dogs dressed as food. The foods represented were: a donut, an ice cream sundae, pasta and a stick of butter.

"THE FOUR MAIN FOOD GROUPS," she tweeted.

"Twitter has gifted me a picture of dogs dressed as food and I have to share this with the Twittersphere," said Twitter user Rainbow Cockatoo in a quote retweet. "Butter corgi, BUTTER CORGI!!!"

"Alexander Hamildog"

At the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Costume Parade, I encountered Alexander Hamildog. @TheHamilcast @HamiltonMusical @Lin_Manuel pic.twitter.com/9lMRNnlCf7

— 🎃Howeird Scareman 🎃 (@HESherman) October 23, 2021

Writer Howard Sherman tweeted a photo that showed a cute pup dressed as Alexander Hamilton.

"The 'Dog Run Where It Happened,'" joked one commenter.

"There's a million squirrels I haven't chased, but just you wait. Just you wait," added another.

While the parade provided New Yorkers with some Halloween fun, it also helped to raise money for a good cause.

"The parade event originated 31 years ago to raise money to fund the first dog run in NYC in Tompkins Square Park," Moyer told Newsweek. "It was started by Garrett Rosso."

Now, 100 percent of the profits raised go toward maintaining that very dog run.

For more photos from the dog parade, click here.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Sara Santora is a Newsweek reporter based in Florida. Her focus is reporting on viral social media posts and trends. ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go