Bring your pack. The first annual Howl-O-Ween is Flagstaff’s pet-friendly Halloween kickoff: a costume parade through Heritage Square, adoptable dogs looking for homes, and an after party on a brewery patio. Every dollar from parade signups goes to High Country Humane, so the goodest boys and girls downtown are also doing some good.
When and where is Howl-O-Ween?
Howl-O-Ween runs Saturday, October 25, from 4 PM to 10 PM in downtown Flagstaff. The action starts at Heritage Square and moves to the Dark Sky Brewing patio for the evening.
- Saturday, October 25, 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Heritage Square: signups, adoptions, and the parade
- After Pawrty at the Dark Sky Brewing patio, 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Presented by Weird & Wild West, Freaky Foot Tours, High Country Humane, and Dark Sky Brewing
The schedule
- 4:00 to 6:00 PM, Heritage Square Hangout: parade and costume contest signup with a $10 suggested donation per pet, and 100 percent of signups support High Country Humane
- Meet adoptable pups, and if you adopt, your new dog walks in the parade the same day
- Family-friendly ghost stories from Flagstaff tour storytellers, plus local vendors with seasonal treats and limited-run merch
- 6:00 to 6:30 PM: the Pet Parade and Costume Contest, with categories for Best Pet Overall, Best Pet and Owner Duo, Most Creative, and Best Howl
- 6:00 to 10:00 PM, After Pawrty at Dark Sky Brewing: DJ Coyote, vendors for humans and pets, and a patio full of costumes
How to participate
Watching is free, and friendly, leashed, costumed pets are welcome to walk in the parade. Sign up online ahead of time or at Heritage Square the day of the event. The suggested donation is $10 per pet, and all of it goes to High Country Humane.
- Register here
- Can’t make the whole day? Drop by the parade or the After Pawrty, spectators are welcome
Costume inspiration
- Punny classics: Bark Vader, Chew-barka, Franken-pup
- Owner and pet duos: wizard and dragon, astronaut and alien, detective and sidekick
- Group themes: Scooby-Doo crew, The Addams Family, superhero squad
Keep it comfy and safe. Make sure your pet can walk, see, and breathe easily in whatever you build.
Pet etiquette and safety
- Keep pets leashed and under control at all times
- Bring water, treats, and poop bags
- Guides and staff avoid petting animals while on duty, to keep everyone safe and comfortable
The After Pawrty
When the parade wraps, follow the howl to Dark Sky Brewing. DJ Coyote spins from 6 to 10 while the best costumes of the day work the patio. It is the closing act of a brand-new Flagstaff tradition, and a good excuse to stay downtown after dark.
Make a full night of it
Howl-O-Ween lands in the middle of Flagstaff’s busiest spooky stretch. If you are building an October itinerary, our guide to spooky season in Flagstaff covers the rest of the calendar, and there is plenty still going in November. For the humans in your pack, the Flagstaff Haunted History Tour leaves nightly at 7 PM from downtown, 75 minutes and $29, an easy add-on before the After Pawrty winds down.
