4 Twin Cities Dog Halloween Events Left This Weekend

Updated October 30, 2026

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, so the dog costume season ends with a full weekend. By our count there are four dog Halloween events left: the free bonfire contest at Loring Park tonight, Friday, Oct. 30, and three on Saturday, Oct. 31: a Ruff Start Rescue fundraiser at Forgotten Star Brewing in Fridley, a Howl-o-Ween Pawty at Saint Bark in St. Paul and a dog-friendly Howl-O-Ween at the Wildlife Science Center in Stacy, where your dog can trick-or-treat next to the wolves.

We rechecked every date and time below against the organizer’s own page on Friday, Oct. 30. None had been canceled or moved. Events change, so give the organizer a quick look before you head out.

The short version

Friday, Oct. 30: The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s free Howl-o-ween contest at Loring Park, 6–7:30 p.m., judging at 6:30, with a bonfire. Rain or shine.
Saturday, Oct. 31: Ruff Start Rescue’s Halloween Paw-ty at Forgotten Star Brewing (1–4 p.m., suggested $10 per dog to enter, judging at 2) and the Howl-o-Ween Pawty at Saint Bark (2–4 p.m.).
Also Saturday: Howl-O-Ween at the Wildlife Science Center in Stacy, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Leashed dogs welcome; $15 adults, $10 kids 5–17.
Sunday, Nov. 1: We didn’t find a dog costume event.
Trick-or-treat night: Keep candy (especially chocolate and anything sugar-free with xylitol) and wrappers out of reach, and keep nervous dogs away from the front door. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is 888-426-4435, 24/7.

Friday, Oct. 30

Howl-o-ween Dog Costume Contest at Loring Park

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s annual contest runs 6 to 7:30 p.m. tonight at Loring Park, based at the recreation center at 1382 Willow St., with judging at 6:30 p.m. Dress your dog in its spookiest, silliest or most creative costume to compete for prizes. The park board promises a bonfire and treats for both people and dogs. It’s free, open to all ages and happens rain or shine, so dress for the weather. Friends of Loring Park co-promotes it. Park board listing.

Saturday, Oct. 31

Halloween Paw-ty & Dog Costume Contest benefiting Ruff Start Rescue

Forgotten Star Brewing Co., 38 Northern Stacks Dr. in Fridley, hosts the party in its taproom from 1 to 4 p.m. Pre-register online or at the door between 1 and 2 p.m. Entry is a suggested $10 donation per dog. Judging starts promptly at 2 p.m. in three categories: Most Creative, Spookiest and Funniest. Human costumes are encouraged. Tammy Taylor Photography runs a fall photo booth, The Doggie Dazzle sells hand-beaded collars, and Forgotten Star will match donations up to $500. Our listing.

Howl-o-Ween Pawty at Saint Bark

Saint Bark, the indoor dog park and bar at 1145 Snelling Ave. N. in St. Paul, closes out Halloween afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. with a costume contest, prizes and Pumpkin Pup Cups. As of Friday, the food truck was still listed as to be announced. Come in costume or just come to hang out. The event page doesn’t list admission and links to Saint Bark’s guest waiver and kids policy, so check those before you go. Our listing.

Howl-O-Ween at the Wildlife Science Center

The Wildlife Science Center, 22830 Sunrise Road NE in Stacy, north of the metro in Chisago County, holds its annual Howl-O-Ween from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trick-or-treat among the center’s wolves, owls, cougars and bears, walk through a haunted cabin and warm up at a campfire. Kids can paint pumpkins, collect candy and do a scavenger hunt. The center encourages grown-ups to dress up and bring the family dog in costume, too. Dogs on leash are welcome. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids 5–17. Kids 4 and under get in free. Buy online or at the door with a card or cash, but bring exact change, because the center can’t make change. Deep Root Concessions has food and The Triple Sip has drinks. Proceeds benefit the center. Details from the Wildlife Science Center.

Already happened

If you missed the first week, these were the other six events on our list: Howl-O-Ween at North Loop Green and Columbia Heights’ Truck or Treat with Healing Hearts Rescue (Oct. 24), MARS trick-or-treat at Maple Grove PetSmart (Oct. 25), and Thursday’s triple of Waconia’s Howl-ween costume parade at Paws Inn, the Yappy Hour at Aloft Minneapolis and Brew Park Plymouth’s $500 contest (Oct. 29).

Halloween safety for dogs

Most Halloween trips to the emergency vet come from things at home, not costume contests. Saturday is trick-or-treat night, so a few basics from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the ASPCA:

Candy stays out of reach. The AVMA says not to feed pets Halloween treats. Chocolate is toxic to dogs. So is xylitol, a sweetener in many sugar-free candies and gums. Raisins can cause kidney failure. Keep the candy bowl and kids’ trick-or-treat bags up high.
Watch the wrappers. Foil and plastic wrappers, lollipop sticks and the bags themselves can block a dog’s gut. Pick up after trick-or-treating, before your dog finds the stash.
Costumes should fit. The AVMA’s test: the costume should be comfortable and shouldn’t block your dog’s sight, hearing, breathing, mouth or movement. Nothing should be easy to chew off and swallow. Do a trial run before contest day, and don’t leave a dog alone in costume. If your dog freezes, paws at it or tucks its tail, a festive bandana counts.
Guard the front door. All that doorbell ringing stresses a lot of dogs, and an open door is an escape route. The AVMA suggests putting nervous dogs in a room away from the front door during trick-or-treating hours, or giving them a safe place to hide.
Check ID. Make sure your dog is wearing a collar with a current ID tag and that the microchip registration has your phone number, in case your dog does slip out.
Candles and glow sticks. Keep lit jack-o’-lanterns where a wagging tail can’t knock them over. A chewed glow stick usually isn’t dangerous, but it tastes terrible and can cause heavy drooling.

If you think your dog ate something it shouldn’t have, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. It’s open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. A consultation fee may apply.

Looking for more to do? See all dog-friendly events in Minneapolis–St. Paul.

We’ll update this list if organizers change times or add events.