The Palo Alto community hosted its very first celebration of pets through the Pet Palooza Parade—an event in which pets could gather and compete in different contests—on Saturday, taking inspiration from Sunnyvale’s own annual pet parade. California Avenue was lined with booths and tents, and the streets were filled with pets of all kinds—dogs, cats, and even stuffed animals—strutting alongside their owners.
The event kicked off with a parade for all the pets. More than 70 pets participated in the parade. Owners walked with their pets down the street with pride, and onlookers cheered for every participant. Some pets strayed off path to interact with the passersby, while others stayed close to their owners.
“I’m proudly giving credit to myself because last year I supported the Sunnyvale Pet Parade. I mentioned this to our own parks department, and they decided to throw our own pet parade this year,” Yudy Deng, recreation commissioner of Palo Alto and a judge in the Pet Palooza Parade, said. “In general, I think this is a great community building event [that’s] not only open to Palo Alto residents, but also the whole area.”
“I hope to achieve some awareness of all the pets we have in the community, as well as the businesses here on California Avenue,” Lance Ledrew, special events coordinator for Palo Alto, said. “I hope to create a community here in Palo Alto.”
After the parade, contestants participated in three exciting contests. Pets showed off their adorable charm through a competition for cutest pet, flaunted their creative costumes, and showcased their secret talents and tricks. Winners could win a pet gift basket, as well as pet beds donated from the community organization Society of Heart’s Delight.
The winner of the cutest pet was Sunny, a large and lovable dog that managed to capture the judges’ hearts. Close behind Sunny were Tofu and Panda—two of the few feline companions that participated in the parade. In third place was contestant 69, a stuffed animal rabbit the owner proudly named Rabbit.
As for the best costumes, Harry Potter Mochi took the spotlight—winning not only everyone’s love, but also the first place prize. In second place was Bella, who, according to her owner, was dressed up as a 1950s poodleskirt girl. As for third place, Lee Pace and his flower costume earned many exuberant cheers.
“So many people have pets in Palo Alto, and it feels like such a great event in the community to learn about some of the services and vendors and all that good stuff,” Kristen Michallik, the owner of Bella, said.
Lastly, Zoe won first place for most talented pet with her handful of tricks. Following closely was Oliver, a jumping bundle of joy. Last but not least, in third place was contestant Ben.
Even after the contests ended, people had the chance to visit the booths set up in the streets. Some were family businesses, and others were larger organizations. “I’m getting the opportunity to meet more people in the Palo Alto area here,” Morisa Vazquez, one of the owners of Downtown Dogs—a dog daycare facility, said. “Since our Palo Alto location is new, we’re looking forward to connecting with the community more.”
All in all, the Pet Palooza Parade brought together the Palo Alto community through the participants’ shared love for pets, making the event a huge success. The organizers of the Pet Palooza plan on making it a reoccurring event for the Palo Alto community. “Circle your calendar for the same Saturday of 2026,” Ledrew said.
