Help save Tompkins Square Park’s Halloween Dog Parade
Image: istolethetv via Flickr.
One of the city’s favorite Halloween diversions for almost 30 years, the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, may not happen this year due to lack of funds. As Gothamist reports, the annual celebration of canine (and owner) creativity is facing a financial shortage due to a ballooning budget–mostly due to insurance costs–that has corresponded with growing attendance, according to Garrett Rosso, the parade’s organizer and a longtime volunteer at the Tompkins Square dog run. A fan of the parade, Therese Moriarty, has started a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $15,000.
Image: editrixie via Flickr.
A Facebook post by the parade’s organizers announced that the event would be cancelled this year, citing the group’s inability to secure sufficient sponsorship due to rising insurance and liability contract costs, adding that, “Over the years the parade has raised more than $200,000.00 for the park — and secured twice that amount in matching funds. We are also leaving the dog park with an endowment at City Parks Foundation for it’s maintenance and upkeep for the next 10 years.”
Image: istolethetv via Flickr.
Image: istolethetv via Flickr.
Image: istolethetv via Flickr.
According to Crystal Howard of the Parks Department, though the department is not charging the insurance fee, growing attendance in recent years has meant that the department has had to require a contract which requires a certificate of insurance (COI) valued at $1 million. According to the GoFundMe page, contributions will go towards keeping this adorable annual fundraising event alive, and also help maintain the Tompkins Square Dog Run year ’round. You can find out more and contribute here.
[Via Gothamist]
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