27 Oct Winners & Event Recap: 4th Annual Dog Costume Contest & Parade!
2025 Dog Costume Contest Winners
Our 4th Annual Dog Costume Contest was a frightful day of fun at Melrose Trading Post! As always, we were amazed by our contestants’ incredibly creative handmade Halloween ensembles.
Here are the winners of this year’s competition:
BEST IN SHOW
Ellee Mae with owner Sherry
Diva Cowgirls
“Ellee-Mae is my Pride & Joy. She is so smart, loves to play, give lots of kisses & snuggle you. She’s Momma’s Baby & she knows it.”
BEST HUMAN-DOG DUO
Jolene with owner Laurie
The Black & White Swan Ballerinas
“Jolene loves kitties, the beach, dancing and an updo!”
BEST FLOAT/WAGON
Maggie with owner Gwendy
Coraline & The Other Mother
“Maggie’s favorite thing to do is watch the sunset at the beach. Her favorite Movie is The Minions, she loves to cuddle and cozy up in pajamas, and her favorite snack is rotisserie chicken!”
KOBE COMMUNITY FAVORITE
L.A. the Chihuahua with owner Travon
Barbershop
“L.A is the nicest chihuahua you will ever meet!”
The Kobe Community Favorite award is titled in honor of Kobe the Miracle Mile MoMo, who was beloved by the MTP and LA communities.
Kobe was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident on Oct. 5.
In honor of Kobe, we encourage you consider donating to Queen’s Best Stumpy Rescue!
Congratulations to our winners and thank you all of the incredible dogs and dog parents that participated!
Thank you again to our judges Ronald Wilson, Lisa Hernandez, and Ronald Wilson!
Thank you to our fabulous host, Pickle!
Thanks again to our contest DJs, Nat Jio and Deadlyfishes, for bringing the music alongside their collective Space Sweep!
Another round of applause for our sponsors!
Programming Recap
It was also a great Sunday of fun programming and celebrating dogs with our community partners.
Dr. Kischa kicked off the day with a relaxing and mesmerizing Intermission soundbath.
Pawsitive Beginnings LA and Loved Again Pets joined us for Adoption Fairs at MTP.
We hosted our first ever Halloween Dog Parade throughout the market, and our vendors and patrons were overwhelmed by the cuteness! Dottie the Dalmation, played by Denise Moses, truly got the party started.
Thao Tran and Susan Luong, “The Fairy Corg Mother” and founder of Queen’s Best Stumpy Rescue, joined us to pay tribute to Kobe and discuss the amazing work Queen’s Best is doing to rescue corgis in the Los Angeles community.
As the judges deliberated, the audience enjoyed a performance of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” from Greenway Institute for the Arts’ student Kai, as well as Host Pickle sharing her new Halloween hit “Monsters In The Closet.” Celebration Theater also made an appearance to promote their upcoming productions at Greenway Court Theatre!
After the contest, Cynthia Briano, Eli Chevalier, and more poets from Los Angeles Poet Society shared their work on stage alongside offering typewriter poetry to patrons.
Throughout the day, patrons pinned photos, messages, and drawings paying tribute to their lost pets on our Sunday Scribbles Board, which became a beautiful ofrenda for the day.