Long Beach Howl’oween Dog Parade marches on Halloween day

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All of the signs are aligning to marque this year’s Haute Dogs Howl’oween Dog Parade the champion yet, organizer Justin Rudd said.

“This is the 20th twelvemonth for the parade,” Rudd said.

“Last twelvemonth was expected to beryllium the 20th, but, you know,” helium added, referring to the coronavirus pandemic nixing the lawsuit successful 2020. “Registration numbers are higher astatine this constituent than they were successful 2019. And it’s really connected Halloween time this year.”

Rudd organizes astir 60 events a twelvemonth done his nonprofit Community Action Team. The Howl’oween Parade, connected Sunday afternoon, Oct. 31, has go the second- oregon third-largest event, down the Turkey Trot and, occasionally, the Bulldog Beauty Contest.

More than 500 dogs are expected to amusement up astatine Long Beach’s Marina Vista Park successful their Halloween costumes, accompanied by their often-costumed people. Several 1000 spectators are besides expected astatine the park, connected the country of Colorado Street and Santiago Avenue. The march down the reddish carpet is escaped to watch, though beforehand enactment seats are sold for $5 each.

In the aboriginal years of the parade, lone the dogs were judged. But present there’s besides a “people contest” for currency prizes, and entries tin vie with oregon without canine companions.

Favorites successful past years person been radical entries, with dogs and radical dressed to represent a taxable — the Addams Family, “The Wizard of Oz,” “Star Wars” and more. There volition beryllium 13 currency prizes awarded and the apical canine volition triumph a year’s worthy of Zignature canine food, sponsored by LaunderPet. There besides volition beryllium acquisition baskets from Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers.

Judges for the contests travel from different of Rudd’s events, the Miss Long Beach and Southern California Cities pageants (set for Nov. 13 this year). Current rubric holders of the Teen/Miss/Ms./Mrs. Long Beach and Southern California Cities pageants volition besides beryllium connected hand.

But contestants beware: George Pisano and his canine Lucy, winners of the past parade, are coming from Hollywood to vie again.

There besides volition beryllium a radical of favored adoption organizations and vendors of each things canine. Traditionally, Greg Perrault and his Cats and Dogs Animal Hospital are connected manus successful lawsuit of emergencies.

Rudd, an unabashed canine fan, appeared connected section tv again this twelvemonth to beforehand the Howl’oween parade, and has appeared connected nationalist tv with it and the Bulldog Beauty Contest. He was the unit down creating Rosie’s Dog Beach, the lone leash-free formation country successful the city.

People inactive tin participate their dogs for $10 astatine hautedogs.org; determination volition beryllium signups Sunday onsite, but the outgo past is $20.

Pet adoption groups volition acceptable up by noon Sunday, and the parade gets underway astatine 2:30 p.m. The parade volition past astir an hour, Rudd said.

“It’s thing to see,” helium added.

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