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Tompkins Square Halloween Parade Cancelled Due To City's Insurance Demands

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A popular city tradition that draws thousands of people to the East Village each year has been canceled.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes have been dressing up for the Tompkins Square Halloween Parade for 28 years, reports CBS2's Reena Roy.

Costumes have ranged from pups as pizza, butterflies, even superheroes, but the annual dog parade has been priced out over steep insurance costs the city demands to cover the event.

"It feels like one of those authentic New York things that unfortunately should probably be here," said Alphabet City resident Benjamin Earley.

Organizer Garrett Rosso said volunteers can't meet city demands, saying the Parks Department is asking for a pricey insurance policy that could cover up to $1 million.

"The parks department is asking us volunteers who put on this parade for 28 years to assume liability for the parade," said Rosso.

A department spokesperson says because the event began bringing in big crowds last year, the agency had to start asking for that contract instead of a simple permit, a requirement for any large event in a park.

Rosso said that a sponsor helped last year's cost, but this year organizers are struggling to find one.

"The phone has not stopped ringing people have called me from all across the country," he said. "Now they're all heartbroken."

The change is especially frustrating for many because proceeds each year go straight to the park's dog run.

"Without that money I don't know what would happen," said East Village resident Alli Manning. "It's kind of unacceptable."

Organizers said they are trying to set up a meeting with the Parks Department in hopes of finding some kind of solution so that the neighborhood tradition can return again next year. An agency spokesperson says the department is willing to meet with them.

A Go Fund Me page set up Thursday has already raised nearly $2,000 of its $15,000 goal.

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