On Sunday, Oct. 22, Rapho Township Community Park will go to the dogs - in the cutest way possible.

Dog Park Mount Joy will host a Halloween Parade from 1 to 3 p.m. at the park, 960 Strickler Road, Mount Joy, and all pups are invited.

"We had done this before, but it lapsed during COVID," said Debbie Ronning, who is helping to organize the event. "People were asking if we were going to do it again, because it was popular, so we decided we would."

Although the event is organized by the members-only Dog Park Mount Joy, it is open to anyone in the community. Dogs (and their owners) are encouraged to come in costume, and prizes will be awarded for first, second and third places.

The festivities will include a photo booth, handmade dog treats and more. Dog Park Mount Joy apparel, including T-shirts, sweatshirts and bandanas, will be for sale, along with engraved bricks that can be purchased as a fundraiser to support the park and memberships to Dog Park Mount Joy.

Dog Park Mount Joy opened in 2016 and is a member-funded organization. The park averages about 450 to 500 members a year, said member Russ Woodling, and members come from a wide distance.

"We have people come from Dauphin, Lebanon and York counties," he said. "We actually have members in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, who split time between two homes. We also have members who live out of town, but they have relatives that live in this area, and they enjoy the dog park so much that when they come to visit family, they bring their dogs here."

The park is divided into two areas - a 1-acre space for small dogs, and a 1.5-acre space for big dogs.

Events like the Halloween Parade help spread the word about the dog park and promote community fun, Ronning said.

"We have had great turnouts for the parade in the past, and we had some fabulous costumes," she recalled. "We had a dog named Wrigley, and his mom made a Wrigley chewing gum costume for the dog. People get very creative. It's just a fun day. It's fun for the dogs, and it's fun for the dog parents."

Dog Park Mount Joy will also offer holiday photos for people and their dogs on Saturday, Dec. 9, from noon to 3 p.m. at the dog park. The photo shoot will feature a truck decorated for Christmas, and photos will be taken by donation.

Registration is not necessary for the Halloween Parade, and the event will be held rain or shine. For more information on Dog Park Mount Joy, search for the organization on Facebook.