Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade Canceled Over Lack Of Funds

EAST VILLAGE, NY — Organizers have canceled the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade this year due to a lack of funds to support the costumed-canine procession.

The East Village tradition, which has run for 28 years, was slated for Oct. 20 in Tompkins Square Park, but the city has asked organizers to purchase a hefty insurance policy that they cannot afford, organizers announced on social media.

“The Parks Dept is asking for a large insurance & liability policy in order to hold the event this year — and we simply don’t have the funds or sponsor willing to provide it,” organizers wrote in a Wednesday Facebook post.

Each year thousands flock to the festival that has inspired New Yorkers to deck out their doggies in over-the-top outfits for nearly three decades. One devastated dog owner created a GoFundMe page with a goal of $15,000 to get the parade back on schedule.

"Please chip in a little and save the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade," wrote Therese Moriarty, a 35-year-old Long Island City resident who has brought her Shih Tzu, Hugo, to the parade for the past three years. "Not only will your contribution go towards keeping this annual fundraiser alive, it will help maintain the Tompkins Square Dog Run year round."

Photo courtesy of Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images