The Monsters Took Over East Passyunk! Our 2026 Dog Costume Contest Recap

Philadelphia dogs really understood the assignment this Halloween.

On Saturday, October 31, we had the absolute pleasure of hosting our second annual Dog Costume Contest at East Passyunk Fall Fest, and WOW, did the neighborhood show up!

There were tricks and leaping dogs!

We nearly tripled the number of contestants from last year, handed out oodles of pup cups, and witnessed some truly spectacular canine creativity. From elaborate homemade masterpieces to costumes that made us laugh out loud, the competition was fierce, the dogs were fabulous, and the judges had their work cut out for them.

And thanks to our wonderful event photographer (Creature Pheature) we've got 170+ photos to prove it!

And the Winners Are... 🏆

With so many incredible costumes, choosing winners was no easy task. Our judges had some seriously tough decisions to make!

Best Overall: Koda and Pippa, Dart and Dustin (Stranger Things)

Koda and Pippa - Best Overall

Best Foodie Costume: Dougie, Wawa Hoagie

I'd take a nibble of Dougie!

Best Pop Culture Icon: Lula and Pearl, Carrie + Tommy (1976 Prom)

Absolutely and terrifyingly cute!

Best Dog/Human Duo: Mac and Jessica, Burger King

Mac wants some of that burger!

Congratulations to our winners! And a huge thank you to every single contestant who dressed up, strutted their stuff, and made our afternoon so much fun.

90 Seconds of Costumed Chaos!

It Takes a Village (and a Whole Lot of Dog People!)

An event like this doesn't happen without some pretty wonderful humans behind the scenes. First and foremost, a HUGE thank you to Nice Things Handmade for putting together such a fantastic Fall Fest and inviting us to be part of the fun again this year. We're so grateful for everything you do to bring our neighborhood together!

Thank you to the  for helping make Fall Fest such a beloved neighborhood tradition.

And let's hear it for our fabulous judges!

• Love City Vet

• Constellation Dog Academy

• East Passyunk Avenue

  
  

You had a nearly impossible job, and we appreciate you taking it on!

A special shout-out to Houston West, whose live banjo music brought an extra dose of joy to the afternoon. There's something magical about a neighborhood full of costumed dogs accompanied by a banjo. And of course, thank you to our wonderful Monster Minders team (Rowan, Scout, Everest with Nikki in the mic), who came out to support the event, cheer on the contestants, and help keep the pup cups flowing. We couldn't have done it without you!

Find Your Monster in the Photo Gallery!

Did your dog compete? Did you stop by for a pup cup? Or do you just really enjoy looking at dogs wearing ridiculous costumes? We've got you covered. Our event photographer captured 170 fantastic photos from the day, and we've put them all together in one big gallery.

Browse the Full 2026 Dog Costume Contest Photo Gallery

Feel free to download and share your favorites! If you post them on social media, we'd love a tag at @themonsterminders so we can admire your monster all over again.

Thanks for making our second annual contest even bigger, sillier, and more wonderful than the first.

See you next Halloween, Philly! 🎃

A Little About Your Hosts

We're The Monster Minders, a locally owned Philadelphia dog walking company that's been caring for the city's beloved little monsters since 2005. We believe dogs deserve safe, thoughtful, individualized care, whether they're dressed as a hot dog, a superhero, or just their everyday adorable selves.

If your monster could use a little more fun in their weekdays, we'd love to meet them! Learn more about us.