Are you ready to “pawty”? Tiny Arts Supply, a Ridgewood-based art store, is hosting its second annual Halloween Dog Parade on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The parade will kick off at 58-42A Catalpa Ave. at 11 a.m.
Vanessa America, owner of Tiny Arts Supply, told QNS she expects more than 100 attendees this year, as well as support from neighboring businesses.
Julia’s will be providing bacon and water for the dogs, while Topos Bookstore and the homegoods store Saint Seneca will both give out treats. The parade will come to a close at Two Monsters Pet Shop.
Marchers will walk down Woodward Avenue, cutting through Putnam Avenue, with multiple photo opportunities along the way. Local artists will also be making photo cutout boards with witches and pumpkins for a humorous effect.
According to America, both pet owners and pet lovers can experience the joy.
“People come without dogs just to see dogs in costumes,” she said. “I just believe it creates a community, you know, and it inspires people to get to know their neighbors.”
Among the top costumes featured in last year’s parade were a pirate dog, a UPS delivery dog and two lobster corgis.
After seeing Ridgewood’s last art store closed down six years ago, America’s vision to open a bar took a new turn when COVID-19 hit the food industry, and she soon realized “we didn’t have access to art supplies in the neighborhood.”
Tiny Arts Supply opened in April 2021, providing special workshops to make art accessible such as teaching how to use watercolor paints and making your own stamps with materials provided.
America wants to give back to the community by resourcing supplies.
“If people have you know old paints or markers that they don’t want anymore, they can drop them off of my store and I get them to teachers and different organizations that need materials that don’t have the money,” she said.
With more community involvement, America hopes to add raffles where the funds would go to animal shelters or rescues.
