Thrifty Thurston – Pets On Parade

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Capitol City Honda sponsorAs a kid, I spent many rainy afternoons dressing my neighbor’s Lhasa Apso.  The dog, aptly named Taffy, was complacent in her frilly doll dresses and hair bows.  Why she sat patiently while two little girls muscled her into a costume is still an unknown.

Now, as a parent, I’ve come to understand the fascination between little kids, pets, and costumes.  And, what better place to display your fashion designs then at the 83rd Annual Pet Parade?

The pet parade begins, on August 18th, at 10:00 am.  Starting at Heritage Park, on Water Street, the route travels eight blocks and ends at Sylvester Park on Legion Way.  The route is relatively flat and a reasonable distance for small legs.

With no requirement to register in advance, it’s easy to make an impromptu appearance with your favorite four-legged pet.

“Before taking your dog to the pet parade, consider whether your dog is comfortable around kids, people, and other dogs,” encourages local veterinarian, Dr. Steve Hamilton.  “If you have a question about any one of these three groups, leave your pet at home and enjoy the parade as a spectator.”

Dr. Hamilton also encourages pet owners to pay attention to the weather forecast and watch for signs of distress caused by warm weather.

With 83 years of touring downtown Olympia, the pet parade is clearly an institution.

“The pet parade is a tradition for downtown Olympia.  The Olympia Downtown Association (ODA) and merchants have participated for decades, providing prizes and ice cream for parade participants,” states ODA Executive Director, Connie Lorenz.

Title sponsor, Olympia Federal Savings, has been a supporter for the past twelve years.    “Olympia Federal Savings employees love animals so we enjoy sponsoring the pet parade,” says Marketing Director Sandy DiBernardo.

“This event is a great opportunity for kids and their families to celebrate and show off their best friends to our community,” adds DiBernardo.

Judges will be considering entries based on six categories – pets, wheels, impersonations, big dogs, little dogs, and floats.  With a new bicycle up for grabs, the judges are serious about selecting a winner that has earned the prize.

Jeanne Carras, owner of downtown shoe store Bonaventure, has volunteered as a pet parade judge for at least ten years.  Carras and her husband select the grand prize winner.

“We look to see who followed the theme as closely as possible.  Then, we consider which entries are truly unique and show the kids’ individual personality.  Finally, we ask the kids about their involvement.  We want to award the prize to a child who had a huge part in the planning and implementation of their creation,” explains Carras.

“We love the pet parade,” says loyal spectator and mom, Karli Plughoff.  “Everyone is very respectful and conscientious of their pets.  And, the costumes are hilarious,” recounts Plughoff who says her favorite costumes were some pugs dressed in Harry Potter outfits.

“The pet parade is simply a fun family activity that is relaxed, silly, and enjoyable for everyone,” adds Lauren Pitman who recommends watching the parade from its ending point at Sylvester Park.  “My daughter enjoys seeing unexpected animals such as goats, hamsters, and llamas.

“We are always amazed by the creativity of the costumes,” comments Pitman.  “My favorites are when families stick to a theme like the Wizard of Oz.”

Participants and spectators are encouraged to rally non-perishable pet food for the Thurston County Animal Services.  The animal shelter provides identification of stray pets, coordinates pet adoptions, and handles animal control.

The shelter cares for over 135 animals each week.

Neither motorized vehicles (yeah, no worrying about little feet being run over) nor politicking are permitted.  Just a focus on pets, parades, and kids!

“The pet parade is simply all out fun,” summarizes Carras.  After the pet parade, head over to Bayview Thriftway’s ‘barking’ lot for some post-party fun.

I plan to channel Taffy’s patience on Saturday.  I will sit as long as my kids want to, watching beloved pets tour the downtown core.  Then, we’ll make a donation to the Thurston County Animal Services, in Taffy’s honor.

 

Thrifty Thurston highlights inexpensive family fun in Thurston County.  The weekly series focuses on family-friendly activities throughout our community.  If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@thurstontalk.com.  For more events and to learn what’s happening in Olympia and the surrounding area, click here.

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