2016’s Best in Show at the Pet Contest
Oct. 27, 2017 By Nathaly Pesantez
Pets decked out in Halloween costumes will parade through the streets of Woodside for the sixth year in a row on Saturday.
The Woodside Annual Halloween Pet Parade will take place on Oct. 28, and will start in front of Skillman Pets at 46-19 Skillman Ave, where pets and their owners will march at 11:45 a.m. to Windmuller Park located at 52nd Street and 39th Road and arrive at around 12:15 p.m.
A costume contest, with prizes including best costume, funniest costume, best owner/pet match, and best trick, will be judged at the park.
A raffle prize will also be part of the festivities for $2.00 a ticket.
The event is free and open to the public, but contest participants must pay a $5 admission fee to get their pets registered. Tickets can be purchased online or in person on Oct. 28 from 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in front of Skillman Pets.
The annual parade, also known as the “Woofside” parade, is organized by Woodside on the Move, and began in 2011. Last year’s parade saw 55 pet owners register their pets for the contest, according to Jacqueline Amaya, director of fiscal operations for Woodside on the Move. Costumes seen last year on pets, the majority of which are dogs, include flamenco dancers, a hot dog, a panda, and the pope.
“We welcome any kind of pet,” Amaya said. “We had a rabbit in the past.”
The sponsors for the event are Skillman Pets, Queens Animal Hospital, Big Reuse, and the Office of Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer. Attendees will include Assembly member Brian Barnell, State Senator Michael Gianaris and Van Bramer.
