Community Corner

Spooky Pooch Parade Looking for a Place in the Record Books

The largest Halloween dog parade in the nation hopes to make it official — with the Guinness World Records organization.

With 250 registered dogs marching in the last year, it was easily — but unofficially — the largest dog parade in the country. 

The -sponsored event hopes to make it official this year, as organizers have submitted an application to make it official — with Guinness World Records

The Northeast Ohio Halloween tradition is set to take place from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 15. The fourth-annual parade will step-off at the corner of Detroit and St. Charles avenues at 2 p.m., and will march west to the and back.

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The current record was set on July 27 with 337 costumed dogs at PETCO Park in San Diego. Spooky Pooch organizers think they’ve got a pretty good chance to shatter that record.

Led by “CHOMPS,” the official mascot of the Cleveland Browns, dogs of all shapes and sizes dressed in their Halloween costumes will stroll through the heart of Lakewood’s business district on Detroit Avenue. 

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There will be prizes too. Judges will select the Spookiest Pooch, most creative dog and child, most original adult and dog, best dog and group and best non-motorized float.

“This event has been so successful in the past we think we have a great shot at a Guinness World Record,“ said Spooky Pooch co-chair Lacey Hoffmann in a statement.

Volunteers will be needed to count the dogs, said Shannon Strachan, LakewoodAlive’s director of marketing and development.

Registration/check-in for the parade begins at 1347 St. Charles Avenue at 12:30 p.m. the day of the event. Dogs must be registered by 1:45 p.m. to march in the parade.

Parade pre-registration costs $10 per dog; $15 registration the day of the parade. However, there’s no cost for humans to march in the parade.

Proceeds from the parade will benefit Downtown Lakewood revitalization efforts and the Lakewood Animal Shelter.

“The rest of the world should know how much Northeast Ohio loves our dogs,” added Ian Andrews, LakewoodAlive Executive Director. 


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