Show Off Your FL Pet's Halloween Costume At These Festivals

FLORIDA — From ghosts to Barbie dogs, costumed canines will strut in Halloween parades, contests and games across Florida. Patch has compiled a list of festivals for pets that animal-lovers can check out this weekend.

While a survey said the No. 1 pet costume in the nation was the vicious serial-killing doll of horror film fame, Chucky, the top costume in Florida was an easy do-it-yourself ghost costume fashioned from a white bedsheet.

In Florida, there are plenty of opportunities this weekend through Halloween for pet owners to show off their costumed pets:

• Crooked Can Brewing Co., 426 W Plant St., Winter Garden, will host its Spooktacular Pet Costume Contest on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Throw Social Delray Beach, 29 SE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, will host a Halloween Dog Costume Contest on Monday, Oct. 30 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. with free dog treats.
• Arelia James Island Luxury Apartments, 10880 Angelfish Way Jacksonville, will host a Block Party and Pet Costume Contest on Sunday, Oct. 29 from noon to 5 p.m.
• Lakeside Village, 1479 Town Center Drive, Lakeland, will host its Pooch-O-Ween Pet Parade & Costume Contest on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to benefit the SPCA Florida with pet vendors, including Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, which will give a $150 gift card to the winner. The cost to enter pets in the contest is $10 per pet or $7 for more than one pet and awards will be handed out for best dog costume, best dog/owner costume combo and best dog float (cart, wagon or non-motorized device).
• West Palm Beach Green Market, 101 N Clematis St., West Palm Beach, will host a Pet Costume Contest on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with prizes and adoptable dogs.
• The Bark N' Treat Pet Costume Contest at Eagle Ridge Mall, 451 Eagle Ridge Drive, Lake Wales, will take place Tuesday, Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
• The Shops at Pembroke Gardens, 527 SW 145th Terrace, Pembroke Pines, will host a family and pet contest during its Howl-O-Ween Family Fest on Saturday, Oct 28, from noon to 4 p.m.
• The eighth annual Howl-O-Ween Petacular will take place at the Dirty Oar Beer Co., 329 King St., Cocoa.
• Woof Gang Bakery will host a Halloween Dog Costume Contest at The Doral Yard, 8455 NW 53rd St., Suite 106, Doral, on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 3 to 6 p.m.
• The city of Treasure Island will host Barktoberfest on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the John Morroni Memorial Dog Park at Rosselli Park, 11650 Capri Circle S, Treasure Island. There will be a doggie costume contest, pet vendors, giveaways and pet adoptions to benefit the Sunshine Big Dog Rescue.
• The World Equestrian Center, 1750 NW 80th Ave., Ocala, will host its Hocus Pawcus Halloween Costume Contest Saturday, Oct. 28 from 4 to 6 p.m.
• Caddy's Bradenton, 801 Riverside Drive E, Bradenton, will host a Halloween Dog Costume Contest on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 5 to 10 p.m., featuring Titos doggy gift basket prizes for the winners.
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables will host a Bark or Treat on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 8 to 11 a.m. with a dog costume contest at 9:30 a.m. and treats and drinks for pups from Glasshouse Cafe.
• The Dog Bar at 2300 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, will host a Spooky Pooch Costume Pawty to benefit Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary Inc. on Friday, Oct. 27 from 7 to 11 p.m. and a Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest Parade and Races on Sunday, Oct. 29 from noon to 5 p.m. to benefit Skyway Dachshund Rescue Inc.
• Waypoint Bar & Grill, 11000 U.S. 41 N, Palmetto, will host Puppy-Ween on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring a canine costume contest. event to support the Humane Society of Manatee County.
• Rover Run Park at Veterans Community Park, 1895 Veterans Park Drive, Naples, will host a Howl-O-Ween Doggie Costume Contest & Parade on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 9 to 11 a.m.
• The Fourth Saturday Art Walk at the Pinellas Arts Village, 5663 Park Blvd., in Pinellas Park will a Halloween-themed event on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 4 to 9 p.m. with a pet costume contest and a chance to see and buy the works of local artists and makers.
• The Humane Society of Tampa Bay, 3607 N Armenia Ave., Tampa, will host Halloween-themed games and crafts, a costume contest for all two- and four-legged ghouls, and trick-or-treating around the shelter on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Animal League of Clermont will have its 15th annual Howl-O-ween Pet Parade and Costume Contest on Saturday, Oct. 28 from noon to 4 p.m. at Clermont City Hall, 685 W Montrose St., Clermont.
• The Crooked Thumb Brewery, 555 10th Ave. S, Safety Harbor, along with Dogs Allowed Tampa Bay, will host a Halloween party and doggie costume contest to support Compassion Kind on Sunday, Oct. 29, from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Oak & Stone, 4067 Clark Road, Sarasota, will host Barktober Pups, Pints & Pizza on Saturday, Oct. 28 from noon to 4 p.m.
• Bauser's at 520 Douglas Ave., Dunedin, will host its third annual Bauserween to benefit Rescue Not Retail Inc. on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 2 to 6 p.m. There will be a pet food drive, a pet Halloween costume contest, doggie pools, pet pictures, live music with Jimmy Sivoy Xperiment and the Witches of Dunedin, a silent auction, raffles, a dunk tank, a chili cook-off, a food truck and vendors.
• The 19th annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival and Carnival on Saturday, Oct. 28 and Sunday, Oct. 29 at Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive, Lutz, will include a pet costume contest on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m.
• The 15th annual Sarasota Dog-A-Ween Costume Contest will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market1 at Paul Thorp Park on Lemon Avenue and 1st Street. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the contest and parade through the farmers market will begin at 10 a.m. This year, all proceeds from the event will benefit the Donte’s Den Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a loving home for dogs separated from their owners.
• The 14th annual Howl Olympics will take place on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Freedom Lake Park, 9990 46th St. N, Pinellas Park. It will feature a pet costume contest with prizes and games for dogs including the high jump, bobbing for hot dogs, best cookie catcher, musical sit, best sled dog competition and best limbo competition.
• Hosted by the Friends of the Tampa Riverwalk, the Tampa Riverwalk Trick or Treat along the downtown Tampa Riverwalk will include a pet costume contest on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. at Water Works Park under the gazebo by the stage. The contest will be divided into small pets (0 to 24 pound) and large pets (25 pounds and up).
• The 19th annual Wag-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 12:15 p.m. at Wag Natural Pet Market, 304 E Davis Blvd., Tampa.
• The Dog Moms of Tampa Bay and Total Dog Tampa will host a doggy costume contest and Howloween Pack Walk on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Sparkman Wharf, 615 Channelside Drive. Prizes will be given for the best duo, most original and funniest costumes.
• The 12th annual Halloween Costume Paw-ty hosted by the Seminole Heights Dog Pack will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Henry & Ola Park, 502 W Henry Ave., Tampa.
• The Hyde Park Pet Parade to benefit the Humane Society of Tampa Bay will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28. Register here from 9 to 10 a.m. The stroll will take place from St. John's Episcopal Church in Tampa to Hyde Park Presbyterian Church from 10 to 10:45 a.m. and awards will be given out from 10:45 to 11 a.m.

Send us a photo of your pet in a Halloween costume, and we'll post a collection of the best pet costumes on Florida Patch sites. Email jpgs of photos you took with copyright permission to dann.white@patch.com by Oct. 29.

According to a Pet Smart survey conducted by Wakefield Research, more than 75 percent of pet parents are planning to dress their pets up for Halloween.

Americans are expected to spend $700 million on Halloween costumes for their furry friends, according to the National Retail Federation's annual survey. This is a 15.1 percent increase compared to last year and is equivalent to $108.24 spent per pet owner.

The PetLab Co. analyzed nationwide Google search data to reveal the top 10 most-searched-for Halloween costumes for dogs.

1. Chucky – 6.6 percent of searches
2. Ghost – 6 percent
3. Grinch – 5.5 percent
4. Scooby-Doo – 5.4 percent
5. Ewok – 5.1 percent
6. Bat – 5.0 percent
7. Star Wars – 4.9 percent
8. Spider – 4.8 percent
9. Dinosaur – 3.9 percent
10. Zero – 3.7 percent

The favorite costume for pets varied depending on the state, according to a survey of 3,000 pet owners. While Floridians preferred ghosts, Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Wisconsin, Virginia, Texas, Tennessee, South Dakota and New Mexico opted for pumpkin costumes while Nevada pet owners were divided between a pumpkin and a ghost.

Other popular choices were Max from "The Grinch," Scooby Doo, ewoks and other Star Wars characters, and Zero from Tim Burton’s "The Nightmare Before Christmas."