26 Oct ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF ANNUAL ESSEX COUNTY CANINE HALLOWEEN CONSTUME CONTESTSStrut Your Mutt Events Held at Brookdale Dog Park and South Mountain Dog Park
Published on October 26, 2015
Essex County, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. welcomed dogowners and their pets to the Annual Essex County Strut Your Mutt Canine CostumeParade and Contest at the Essex County Brookdale Dog Park Bloomfield/Montclair andthe Essex County South Mountain Dog Park in Maplewood/Millburn on Saturday,October 24th.
“Our Dog Parks have become popular places for dog owners to bring their pets, and ourCanine Halloween Costume Parades are another opportunity for the public to enjoy ourhistoric Park System,” DiVincenzo said. “I am always amazed and impressed with thecreativity of the costumes. Congratulations to the winners,” he added.
Strut Your Mutt is the County’s annual Canine Halloween Costume Parade and Contest.Dog owners were invited to display their creativity and dress their canine pets incostumes. The parade was free and prizes were awarded to the winners in each category.
Award winners at the Essex County Brookdale Dog Park Contest are as follows:
Best in Show: Vanessa Montesano from Clifton and her pet Lunchbox who wasdressed as a smart shopper and pushed a shopping cart.
Scariest Costume: First place: Jai Lee Wexler from Clifton who was dressed asMaleficent and her pet Chanel who was dressed as Princess Aurora from “SleepingBeauty.” Second place: Lauren Zodel from Montclair and her pet Frankie who wasdressed as a crocodile. Third place: Noreen Fitzsimons from Nutley and her pet Baileywho was dressed as a spider.
Most Creative Costume: First place: Regina Mahon from Bayonne and her pet Gizmowho was dressed as a sheriff riding a horse. Second place: Marijoy Tibay from Montclairand her pet Lucy who was dressed as a rainbow fish. Third place: Dana Borzomati fromUpper Montclair and her pet Abby who was dressed as Batman and rode in a motorized Batmobile.
Couple Costume: First place: Joe Kavesh from Montclair, his pet Vader and severalfriends who dressed as the Joker and other villains from Batman. Second place: JeanDabrowski and her family from Montclair and their pet who dressed as characters from“Star Wars.” Third place: Fanny Chin from Bloomfield who dressed as a Kikkoman soysauce bottle and her pets Lexi, Gyro and Shadow who dressed as sushi rolls.
Award winners at the Essex County South Mountain Dog Park Contest are as follows:
Best in Show: Kelly Cuykendall from Woodbridge, her pet Simon and her friends whodressed as Snoopy and members of the Peanuts gang.
Scariest Costume: First place: Rebecca Wilkening from Maplewood and her pet Pepper who dressed as a devil. Second place: Mary Morris from East Hanover and herpet Axle who dressed as a dragon. Third place: Caitlin McDonough from Verona and herpet who dressed as a skunk.Most Creative Costume: First place: Nila Schomfield from Maplewood and her pet Georgia who dressed as Pocahontas and John Smith. Second place: Pete Lionetti andhis pets who dressed as Little Red Riding Hood and Grandma. Third place: Joyce Aliliofrom West Orange and her pet Chip who dressed as a Beanie Baby doll.
Couple Costume: First place: Matt Greller and his family from Millburn and their pets Angus and Clyde who dressed as Minions and bananas. Second place: DJ Meisch from Nutley, his pet Lucky and friends who dressed as characters from “The Wizard of Oz.”Third place: Tracie Koehnlein from West Orange and her pet Stella who dressed asOzzie Osborn and a bat.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park systemestablished in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acresand has 22 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop AdventureCourse, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range,two miniature golf courses, three off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the PresbyMemorial Iris Gardens. Essex County’s three dog parks are located in Brookdale Park inBloomfield/Montclair, South Mountain Reservation in Maplewood/Millburn andWatsessing Park in Bloomfield/East Orange.