Snickers, a black-and-white Shih Tzu dressed as New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, won Best in Canine Costume at the 36th annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in New York City on 17 October 2026, according to PEOPLE, Cuteness and Fashion Times reports. Snickers posed inside a giant hollowed-out basketball, with his owner Debbie in a Knicks T-shirt celebrating the team’s championship victory in June. The parade, which began in 1990 as an offshoot of the Tompkins Square Dog Run, is described as New York City’s first official dog run and has grown into one of the world’s largest dog parades. This year it returned on Saturday 17 October, drawing costumed canines and spectators along Avenue B, from East 13th Street towards East 7th Street, with finalists judged on a runway in Tompkins Square Park.
A Knicks chant and a surprise appearance
As Snickers took the main stage, the crowd chanted “Knicks in five”, reports say, in a nod to the team’s recent win. For the victory, Snickers received a giant prize ribbon signed by Chrissy Teigen and John Legend — founders of Kismet, the dog food and pet lifestyle brand presenting the event — and a one-year supply of Kismet dog food, treats and functional toppers. Teigen and Legend led the parade, in a surprise appearance. Other talked-about looks included a dog version of the house from Up, characters from One Piece and Project Hail Mary, a doggy duo playing Odyssey characters, and a pup dressed as Marie Antoinette atop a satin-pink cake. The event also partnered with the ASPCA and Animal Care Centers of NYC to spotlight adoptable dogs during Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.
More than costumes
Organisers use the parade to promote animal welfare, and the 2026 event included a festival block with treats, photo opportunities and activities. For New York’s dog-loving community, it is a chance to turn pop culture into four-legged fashion — and, for one Shih Tzu in a basketball, to become the most famous dog in the East Village for a day.
Related reading: Buddy the Unicorn Tops Google’s 2026 Halloween Costume List and Baltimore Shelter Festival Helps Save Nearly 9 in 10 Animals.
