October 29, 2022
Collage of dogs in Halloween costumes. Photos by Emily Bontatibus
By Emily Bontatibus
The crisp morning air began to warm, sounds of dogs and their costume concerned owners flooded the streets of Boston. Vendors moved into their tents and tastefully laid out canine toys, treats and clothes in anticipation of the large crowd of pup lovers. People passing by shouted out, “Aws!” and “Oohs” as the dogs moved by them.
The Doggone Halloween Parade celebrated its 8th year. Featuring dogs and their owners dressed up in Halloween costumes, they paraded down Washington Street with wagging tails and wide-eyed faces. The parade ends with four judges on the lookout for winners in each category.
From Scooby-Doo to dragons to pirates, those in costumes came in ready to win. The winner for cutest costume was awarded to Bennie the pug in an Eeyore costume, with owner Molly Ullman. The best human and dog outfit was awarded to dogs Serena and Summer with owner Glory Ann Vargas, dressed in spooky jack o lanterns and skeleton costumes. The scariest costume was given to Havoc and Blitz, with owner Amy Newfield wearing a “Jurassic Park” theme. The best overall was awarded to Colleen Court and her two dogs Quint and Hopper, sporting a “Game of Thrones” themed costume.
Deanna Miller and her two pups wore a “Charlotte’s Web” themed outfit, one of her dogs a pig and the other a spider When asked why she participated, Miller replied “There are some awesome prizes.”
The Doggone Halloween Parade doesn’t hold back on their winning rewards. Top finishers in each category can receive a night’s stay at the Ritz-Carlton Boston, a stay at the Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall, gift packs from Tasty Burger and several other dog themed prizes.
Not only is the Doggone Halloween Parade a place to see the cutest dogs in Boston, but it’s also a great event for the city’s pet shops.
The Downtown Boston Business Improvement District does not generate any money from the parade. The prizes are donated by several sponsors for the winning contestants.
George Comeau, the marketing and brand activation manager for the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District, gave insight on how this event aids Boston businesses, “We have all these retail, tail, operations, and so it’s all really fun.” Supporting this holiday staple helps out many local stores.
“It brings people together, and it brings more traffic to Downtown Crossing, which means footsteps into my building, because I have an open bathroom… talk about conversion, footsteps into dollars equals sales,” said a festive Jennifer Dietzway, the general manager of the Macy’s in Downtown Crossing.
Other happy businesses such as Hungry Tails, located in East Boston, were invited by the Business Improvement District. Karla Novoa of Hungry Tails said the event “helps to bring awareness that we have a store.” Hungry Tails opened Oct. 1 of last year and while it is a family business with many dedicated local customers, they are looking to increase sales.
While this event is helpful for the business community of Boston, Comeau stated, “Today, it’s all about the dogs.”
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