Photography by Josh Owens
This year’s HOWLoween season has come to a close, and Barktoberfest 2025 once again brought together New York City’s most stylish pups and devoted pet lovers for an unforgettable day of fun!
Each fall, DOWNTOWN hosts this beloved celebration of creativity, community, and canine charm. This year’s PAWticipants showcased some of the most imaginative looks yet, with contestants competing for an incredible selection of prizes from our generous sponsors. From luxury stays at the Four Seasons Downtown NY and Conrad Downtown NY Hotel to dining experiences at Nobu and Senza Gluten by Jemiko, scenic cruises with Classic Harbor Line, a professional pet photo session with Josh Owens, and more, Barktoberfest proved once again why it remains the city’s favorite pet-friendly event of the season.
Inspired by and created in honor of our beloved PAWblisher, Barclay, Barktoberfest is our largest family- and pet-friendly gathering. We’re especially proud to feature incredible animal rescues and shelters each year, and this time, we had the privilege of showcasing Muddy Paws Rescue. We stand firmly behind the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” motto, championing the cause that every animal deserves a loving FURever home.
We were once again at the beautiful Rooftop Park at Pier 57 for our PAWsitively best dressed contestants ‘red carpet’ debut to strut their stuff for our judges! After tough deliberation, they awarded the Top 10 Winners, and each one truly impressed!
We owe special thanks to our fantastic judges for making the hard calls and to our wonderful sponsors, whose support ensures that DOWNTOWN’s Barktoberfest remains an unforgettable success each year.
To see more highlights from the event, including photos and videos, scroll down or visit our official Barktoberfest webpage to enjoy all the memories from this year’s celebration!
Congrats to our Top 10 winners!
1st place: Papi, Kikie, Cookie, and Chip as Rubber Duckies in a Bubble Bath
2nd place: Matcha and Zumi as Croissants at Cafe de Paw
3rd place: Puccini as a Rockette Wooden Soldier
4th place: Love as One of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf
5th place: Kylo as Sapo Concho, the Frog from the Bad Bunny Album Debi Tirar Mas Fotos
6th place: Eloise as Not the Louvre jewel thief
7th place: Henri as Dino from The Flintstones
8th place: Ziggy as a Circus Clown
9th place: Zoe as Avatar Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender
10th place: Paris and Sydney as Pumpkins
Round of applause for our judges!
Andy Marolda with Bel Angé Medical Spa
Martin Kesselman with INCOLOUR
Elene Solo with Senza Gluten by Jemiko
Connie Swierkowski with William Barthman Jeweler
Kelly McGowen with DOWNTOWN Magazine Board Member
Joanne Dean with Broadway Signs ASL
Left to right: Andy Marolda, Jo-Ann Dean, Connie Swierkowski, Sheba Mason, Martin Kesselman, Elene Solo, Cheryl Lefkovitz, Kelly McGowan
Special appreciation!
Phenomenal MC
“Red Carpet”
Behind the lens!
Josh Owens
Lexi Staten
Left to right: Jo-Ann Dean, Grace Kirschner, Cade Callen, Sabrina Little, Linda Sheridan, Grace A. Capobianco, Sheba Mason, Lexi Staten, Riya Duddi, Brynn Theurer, Kelly McGowan, Cheryl Lefkovitz
Thanks to our sponsors!
Four Seasons Hotel Downtown NY
Can’t wait to see you next year!
