Halloween-themed Event for Pet Owners and Their Dogs
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Gardens, Knoxville, is going to the dogs for a Howl-O-Ween Pooch Parade and Pet Expo. The event, now in its twelfth year, is co-sponsored by the UT Gardens and the UT College of Veterinary Medicine and caters to dogs and dog lovers. It will be held Sunday, October 26, 2025, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the UT Gardens.
Enjoy a costumed pet parade emceed by Erin Donovan. The puparazzi loves the judged categories that include Bad to the Bone (scariest); Funny Bone (funniest); Do(g) It Yourself (homemade); Pup Culture (pop culture/character); and Judges’ Choice awards, including Bone-a-Fido (best in show). The event also features an expo of educational booths, pet businesses and rescue groups. Various food trucks will be on hand for attendees wanting to purchase food. People are encouraged to participate in a food drive to benefit the Companion Animal Initiative of Tennessee (CAIT), an outreach program at the veterinary college that works to improve the lives of companion animals and reduce the homeless pet population in Tennessee by promoting humane education and spay/neuter initiatives.
The event is free to attend. Parade pre-registration is $10 per costume entry (can include multiple dogs as one costume). Parade participants can also register for $15 on the day of the event, beginning at 1 p.m. The parade will begin at 3:00 p.m. and is judged by locally known dog lovers. Event t-shirts will also be available for purchase.
For additional information or to register, please visit tiny.utk.edu/howloween. The UT College of Veterinary Medicine and the UT Gardens are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. The UT Gardens, Knoxville, is located in Knoxville at 2518 Jacob Drive.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.
