Looking for a fun Halloween event that you can bring your dog, cat, or other furry, feathered, or scaled friend to? We’ve gathered up a list of the best pet-friendly Halloween events, including pet parades, pet costume contests, and doggy trick-or-treating in the central Maryland area for 2025. So grab your pet and their costume (only if your pet enjoys wearing one, of course) and head out to one of these great events! Maybe we’ll see you there!
All pet-friendly Halloween events have ended for 2025. Check back in September when we’ll post pet-friendly Halloween events for 2026 or subscribe to our newsletter below to stay updated.
Plan a day filled with Fall Fun at the Farm with your FAVORITE FOUR LEGGED FRIEND with Local Homestead Products! We have OVER a full MONTH of pumpkin picking, corn mazes, food trucks and music on the books at Local Homestead Products! We cannot wait for an incredible 2025 Fall Season! And we are kicking it off with DOG DAYS IN THE MAZE!
*All dogs must remain leashed. All owners are responsible for cleaning up after their dogs!*
Who let the dogs out, again?! Join us for the third Barktoberfest with steins and canines as we celebrate German-style beer, bavarian food, and pawesome four-legged friends.
We’ll be hosting our crowd-favorite dog fashion and costume show with two options: general Halloween fun and German/Oktoberfest themed.
Sip on both imported and locally crafted Oktoberfest style brews and there will be plenty of yard games again. The SPCA of Anne Arundel will be the main benefactor of the festival and their volunteers will be showing off pups and pouring beers!
Our stein-holding contests was incredibly competitive last year so don’t miss to see who this year’s champ is! There will also be plenty of fall photo opportunities!
Don’t miss out! Dogs that are friendly and on a leash are welcome but should be comfortable with crowds and other dogs nearby.
Start your day with tricks, treats, and tail-wagging fun ! Celebrate Paw-O-Ween with your furry, four-legged friend in a festive morning atmosphere designed just for dog lovers. Pups can enjoy off-leash play in designated areas, strut their stuff in a costume contest, and make new canine companions. Families can explore a variety of dog-related products and services at our vendor booths and exhibits. This event is free to attend! Event Reminders: – Dogs must have a collar, leash, and proof of rabies vaccination for entry. – Limit two dogs per owner.
We are hosting our 3rd annual Waggin’ at Watkins event! Come out for a family fun day! Trick or treating, mechanical bull, adoptable pets, live music, food, pet costume contest, and so much more!!
Enjoy some dog & family friendly Fall Fun at our annual HOWL-O-WINE fundraiser. Your generosity will fund the majority of our operating costs and pay the required insurance for our pet therapy visits and the Reading Program.
Tickets are $20 in advance (or $25 at the gate). Ticket includes entry to the event, a souvenir wine glass, and a complimentary tasting of Sugarloaf wines. Kids are free. Must be 21+ to consume alcohol.
Pack up the pups and bring the whole family to enjoy an afternoon of Fall fun while supporting a great cause!
Don’t miss the famous Doggie Costume Contest – Enjoy Sugarloaf Wine – Shop with our Vendors – Donate and Dash Area – SOUTHWEST AIRLINE VOUCHER RAFFLE & much more!
All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Wags for Hope.
Sun, Oct 12 ∙ 1 pm – 5 pm Rescheduled to: Sun, Oct 19 ∙ 1 pm – 5 pm
Calvary Lutheran Church (Mt Airy, MD)
Join us for a wildly entertaining day where tails wag, humans laugh, and memories are made!
We’re kicking things off with a Pet Blessing—because every good pup deserves a little divine favor. Then, hold onto your leashes, because the day just keeps getting better:
Bark or Treat – Spoil your pooch with tasty goodies (no tricks, just treats!)
Dachshund Derby – Watch those little legs fly in the most adorable race of the year
Costume Contest – Dress to impress! Dogs and humans alike—bonus points for matching outfits
Vendors – Shop ‘til your paws drop
The Great Inflatable Race – Bounce, laugh, and race your way to glory!
Rescue Row – Meet some amazing animal rescues and maybe even your new best friend!
And when hunger strikes, don’t worry—we’ve got Cryin’ Johnnies on deck to satisfy your cravings with food that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance.
Whether you bark, meow, or just love a good time, this is one event you won’t want to miss!
Houses of Misfits, Inc and MCQE Pet Pantry are teaming up to host a trunk or treat for animals and humans! $25 per spot to decorate your trunk and hand out candy. Adoptable kittens will be on site. Dogs must be on leash.
Ready for some Halloween fun and cuteness? Join us for our Pet Parade. We’ll have prizes for the most unique, funniest, and cutest pet costumes. To register, send your pet name, breed, and proof of up-to-date vaccination status to becky.donahue@wintergrowthinc.org.
The AVAM invites all furry, feathered, slithery, and scaly friends and their people, to don their best creative, cute and creepy costumes and join us for our Howl-o-Ween Pet Parade and Pet Talent Show, now moving to the Fall!
This spook-tacular fun family-friendly event is free and open to the public, whether you choose to enter the parade or just cheer from the sidelines! We will have prizes galore, which may or may not include: Best Scary Costume, Most Visionary Pet, Least Likely to Succeed as a Pet, and more! Friendly pets of ALL kinds are welcome.
Following the Parade comes the Pet Talent [Or Not] Show! This popular event is held each year in loving memory of supreme animal lover and dear friend, Ellis Rosen.
Pet registration begins at 9:30AM. The parade kicks off at 10AM, with a talent show to follow after. Free for all!
BARCStoberfest is an annual, large-scale, pet-friendly festival and fundraiser that benefits the lifesaving programs and animal care at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS). The Patterson Park festival includes the annual “Ready, Set, SNIFF!” 5K Run/Half-Mile Pet Parade, Howl-o-Ween Pet Costume Contest, Barkin’ Beer Garden vendors, kids’ activities, and more! Fundraising leading up to BARCStoberfest raises critical funding for Maryland’s highest volume, an open-admission shelter serving 12,000 animals per year. Our goal this year is $375,000, so please join us to raise funds for our community’s needy animals.
Bring your 4-legged best friend for spooky outdoor walking tour of Old Ellicott City! Learn new ghost stories from the area, fascinating legends, and discover sweet woofs/meows from the other side!
Join us with our partners at The Wine Bin! Includes a wine tasting for people! Wines are 10% off for our guests.
All canine guests must be leashed, cleaned-up after on the tour, and well-mannered, just like their people! Donation made from each ticket to a dog rescue charity, the Canine Humane Network!
This tour is not super scary and is friendly for guest ages 10 and up. If you’ve been on one of our tours before, you’ll be excited to learn this one is entirely different! Please arrive 30 minutes early if you wish to enjoy the included wine tasting.
Join us for a “Howlaween” event at Memorial Park with a Pet Parade and Costume Contest, Jack Russell skills demonstrations, a Petting Zoo, and plenty of photo ops! If you’d like to to sign your pet up for the parade and contest, email LVaccare@taneytownmd.gov or call 410-751-1100 – fantastic prizes will be awarded!
Showcase Your Pet’s Halloween Spirit and Support a Great Cause!
Get ready for our annual Critter Crawl, a fun-filled pet costume contest that celebrates Halloween in style while benefiting the SPCA of Anne Arundel County. This year, we’re excited to host this festive event during our Fall Festival, adding an extra layer of excitement and community spirit to the day.
Dress up your furry, feathered, or scaly friends in their best Halloween costumes for a chance to win incredible prizes and gain bragging rights as the most creative or adorable pet of the day.
Come dressed in your best Pups & Pals costumes to the B&O for the biggest puppy playdate of the year!
Celebrate Halloween with your furry friends with an afternoon of activities under the pavilion, a train excursion to Carroll Park, a costume contest, and a “Yappy Hour” for all the adults in the building.
Plus, come shop ’til you drop with our amazing vendors! There will be something for everyone (dogs included, of course). This is the only time of the year that dogs are allowed aboard the Mile One Express, so don’t miss out. This event is sure to be pawsome!
Get ready to see the cutest pups strut their stuff down the parade route! Whether you have a furry friend to show off or just want to enjoy the adorable spectacle, this event is perfect for all dog lovers. Don’t miss out on the paw-some fun – mark your calendars now!
Ready for some Halloween fun and cuteness? Join us for our Pet Parade. We’ll have prizes for the most unique, funniest, and cutest pet costumes. To register, send your pet name, breed, and proof of up-to-date vaccination status to becky.donahue@wintergrowthinc.org.
Give your dogs a fun day out and help us celebrate our faithful pups by bringing them for a day on the farm! Leashes required for all pets and please come prepared to clean up after your pets when nature calls!
This year we will have rescues set up with their information and some adorable and adoptable dogs on the farm. We will have dog related vendors and you will even get the chance to get your dog pampered while they are here!
The Maryland Corn Maze has been named one of the 25 best corn mazes in the US, and Bring Your Dog Weekend is the ONLY time dogs are allowed, so mark your calendars! For 2025… GET LOST IN THE LAND OF OZ… IT’S GOING TO BE WICKED! Make sure to bring your phone. As you travel through the maze trying to find your way… there will be posts to find and some fun along with each one as you scan the QR codes. In addition to the maze, there are loads of other fun activities in the farm yard, including a zip line, bounce pad, petting zoo, hayrides, slingshots, giant Lincoln logs, pedal tractors, and more!
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Tips for Attending Halloween Events with Your Pet
Make Sure the Event Is a Good Fit for Your Pet
While these events welcome pets, keep in mind that not all pets are going to enjoy attending them. If you know that your pet doesn’t like strangers or large crowds or is fearful of loud noises, it may be best to leave them at home instead of forcing them into what may be a very stressful situation. Use your best judgment, err on the side of caution if you’re not sure how your pet will react, and be prepared to leave early if your pet is showing signs of stress.
Keep Your Pet Safe and Secure
Unless the event has a specifically designated off-leash area, keep your dog on-leash at all times in a secure, well-fitted collar or harness. For other types of pets, secure them with a leash or in a suitable carrier to keep them safe. And make sure your pet’s ID tags are up-to-date just in case they do get lost.
Be Cautious with Costumes
Some pets don’t mind wearing any type of costume and just enjoy all the extra attention they receive when wearing one, but for many pets, it’s not a positive experience. Consider your pets’ feelings when choosing their costume, and don’t force them to wear a costume that makes them uncomfortable (physically or mentally). Alternatively, you can try training your pet to like wearing their costume.
Have a Happy Halloween with Your Pet!
We hope this list of pet-friendly Halloween events has given you and your furry friend some fun options to consider as you make your plans for this festive season. Whether you choose a lively costume contest, a fun fall festival, or a Halloween parade, our hope is that you create wonderful memories with your pet that you’ll both enjoy. We’re grateful to the organizers of these events for welcoming animals and their humans to celebrate together. Thank you for taking the time to read through this roundup – we wish you and your pet a very happy Halloween! Be sure to check our website or newsletter for more upcoming opportunities to spend quality time with your four-legged friend.
