DOG RUN HALLOWEEN PARADE SATURDAY OCT 26 NOON, TOMPKINS SQ, NYC

NYC's first dog run and first dog run Halloween event. Dozens of dogs will dress up to compete for prizes for best costume, best trick and best yodeling.

TOMPKINS SQUARE DOG RUN
New York Citys First Run
Tompkins Square Park
(9th Street near Avenue B)

For Immediate Release:
Tompkins Square Dog Run hosts citys oldest Dog Halloween Parade
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26th NOON

The East Village -- The Tompkins Square Dog Run will host the latest yearly edition of New York Citys oldest dog Halloween tradition this year on the Saturday before Halloween, OCTOBER 26th at NOON.

Dogs and owners will be judged in four main categories: best big dog costume, best little dog costume, best trick and best yodeling. Prizes include Olympic-style medals, pet portraits from local artists, and $25 gift certificates from sponsors Dawgs on Park and Crittercafe.net.

As a fund-raiser, well also have a Doggie-Kissing Booth, where licky dogs will give out kisses for a small donation to the dog runs fund.

In past years, the event has attracted 50 to 100 dogs and fierce competition. Some dog owners will spend weeks debating and laboring over their costumes. Others will throw them together that morning.

This year we are raising money at the Halloween event for the citys proposed renovation of the dog run and for supplies to take care of some of our ailing trees.

The Tompkins Square Dog Run took last year off its annual celebration because it so closely followed the Sept. 11th terrorist attack. This year, which would have been the events 12th year, the festivities are back.

RAINDATE: Saturday, November 2
Background: The Tompkins Square Dog Run is the citys oldest off-leash dog community. When the run was established in 1990, dog runs were an odd experiment. The Parks Department let dog owners experiment with the run on the condition that we maintain the area and self-police it. Now dog runs -- and dog Halloween events -- are found all over the city.
The first run is part of the 501(c)(3) of the East Village Parks Conservancy.

CONTACT:
Carol Vinzant 212-979-5327, cvinzant@pipeline.com
Gunnar Hellekson 212-655-5735, ghelleks@yahoo.com
Heather Malin 917-797-7073, heather@malin.com