If you are the type who wishes every day was Hilloween, it’s time to get excited. Sunday marks the start of costume and candy season on Capitol Hill with the annual Halloween Pet Parade in Volunteer Park:

Halloween Pet Parade

Sunday, October 8th, 2023
Volunteer Park — 1247 15th Ave E

The Schedule
11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
— Emcee:  Matt Smith
— Parade Leader:  8-Bit Brass Band

11:00 AM — Gather at the stage for the Pet Parade!

11:00 AM to 12:30 PM — Register Your Pet for the Costume Competition at the Stage Area

12:00 PM —  Speakers on the Stage

12:30 PM to 1:30 PM — Costume Competition on the Stage

• Each winner receives a pet-related gift basket!
• Prizes offered in 4 categories:
○ Best Pet/Owner Combo
○ Most Creative
○ Spookiest Pet
○ Best Personality

1:45 PM — Costume Competition Winners announced

The annual event is organized by the Volunteer Park Trust community group for a day of festivities with “clever costumes and adorable animals” across from the park’s conservatory.

There will also be vendor booths from Barb’s Pet Project, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Broadway Veterinary Hospital, Dog’s Best Friend, Howling Mad Creations LLC, Love Violet Creations, Lumen, Rollings Gardens, Tails of the City, and Veterinary Roots.

Hilloween 2022

The neighborhood’s pet community, meanwhile, can also celebrate big news for the Capitol Hill-born Urban Animal veterinary clinics. CHS reported here on the plan to make workers owners as Urban Animal makes changes to become the nation’s first worker-owned veterinary co-op.

For more costumed fun for everyone, mark your calendar for Hilloween 2023 as the annual carnival and day of Broadway-area trick or treating takes place Saturday, October 28th on the AIDS Memorial Plaza above Capitol Hill Station. Learn more at hilloween.me.

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