The King of England, Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga and a pirate were among the Halloween costumes on display at the 32nd annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in New York City this weekend.
It's said to be the largest dog costume parade in the world and hundreds of canines turned up on Saturday with their families to show off their creative clothes, which also included those of a bodega cat, a pizza rat and a lanternfly.
Hosted by former NFL referee Dan Schachner, who also referees the Puppy Bowl, prizes were handed out to some of the best dressed.
This included Best Group Costume, Human and Dogs; Best Costume on Wheels; Best Celebrity-Themed Costume; Best Scariest Costume; and Best Chihuahua, Chi-lloween (this is because the Tompkins Square Park event merged with a chihuahua festival years ago).
Boston terrier JoJo dressed as the "new king of the UK", although not exactly King Charles III, while ZZ, a Maltipoo aged 14, channelled Kardashian wearing the Balenciaga tape dress at Paris Fashion Week 2022, according to the New York Post.
One of the most elaborate costumes was the bodega cat, for pooch Mimi, which came complete with a rolling convenience store on wheels. It featured an ATM, ramen, toilet and religious candles, Mimi's humans told Gothamist.
A cat dressed as a dog even joined in.
This was the parade's first return to its namesake location since 2019, after a Zoom parade was held in 2020 and it moved to East River Park last year.
The parade is over now for another year, but online voting for Best in Show opens on Sunday, with the winner set to be announced on October 31.
This is only the beginning for dog parades in New York this season. Greenwich Village has yet to host the Washington Square Park Dog Day Halloween Parade and Costume Party, then there's the Great Pup-kin Annual Dog Costume Contest in Brooklyn and the Manhattan West Woof Fest: Howl-oween taking place near Chelsea.
Scroll through the gallery below to see more from this year's World's Ugliest Dog Contest in California
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Jeneda Benally reacts to the announcement that her dog, Mr Happy Face, won the World's Ugliest Dog Contest in Petaluma, California. AFP -
Mr Happy Face, a 17-year-old Chinese crested saved from a hoarder's house, won the competition, taking home the $1,500 prize. AFP -
Ann Lewis brushes the hair of her dog Wild Thang before the start of the World's Ugliest Dog Competition. AFP -
Wild Thang makes an effort to intimidate the competition. AFP -
Apparently dogs with uncontrollable tongues are a big hit at the contest. AFP -
Judges react as Wild Thang struts his stuff. AFP -
Contestants and their people line the stage at the World's Ugliest Dog competition. AP -
China Su, a pug rescued from China, awaits her turn on the stage. AP -
Judge Mamrie Hart reacts to Monkey, a dog from Pleasant Hill, California. AP -
Tee Tee, a Chinese crested, is shown to judge Brian Sobel. AFP -
Monkey turns to face an adoring public. AP -
Ann Lewis and Wild Thing. AP -
Mandarina pants on her owner's lap while awaiting the start of the World's Ugliest Dog Competition. AFP -
Despite the name of the competition, all dogs are beautiful. AFP -
Canine contestants and their handlers await the competition. AP -
Some of the dogs were not so ugly. AFP -
Mr Happy Face is a whole different story. AFP -
Morita, a Mexican hairless, appears to have plenty of hair. AP -
Mr Happy Face could not be reached for comment regarding his victory. AFP -
Rescued pugs named Jinny Lu and China Su of the Pug Hotel Senior Sanctuary in Sonoma County relax in their stroller. Reuters
