Hot Dog! The Dogtoberfest was fun

It was hot on Sunday. So hot that I decided to skip Tucson Meet Yourself, the usual kick-off to the winter season of festivals and special events here. It is always held downtown and, as far as I was concerned, it was too hot (Sunday high temp 102F!!) to wander around on all that concrete. No amount of Turkish strawberry ice cream and flamenco dancers and just plain-old-fashioned people-watching could entice me to go to TMY this year.

Instead, I went to the Dogtoberfest at Brandi Fenton Park. It was still hot, but the green grass lawn and shady trees made it seem more tolerable. It also helped that the Bella Gelato food truck was in the parking lot.

Then there were the adorable and adoptable puppies and young dogs in pens around the central lawn under shade trees. The primary purpose of this event, sponsored by the The Tucson Dog magazine, is the adoption of these dogs. Wandering around, looking at them, made enduring the mid-day heat okay for me.

Cute little doggos were, however, matched by dogs in fantasy costumes entered in the Best Dog Costume contest, one of 5 contests being held at the event. And, if you forgot to bring that dog costume, there were a half-a dozen costumes hanging by the stage that dog owners could put on their dogs for free.

Some owners, however, came prepared for the Best Dog Costume event. The painted Panda dog and jaguar dog at the top of this post were two front-runners. The white dog in shadow on the left, below, was painted like a zebra, the pink and turquoise dog in the same photo — who knows what it was supposed to be besides colorful. Moving on with strangeness, the dog in the center is dressed and painted like a cow, including pink udders and little pink horns. And on the right is a lizard on a leash! What? Why? I have no idea what was in the mind of the owner who brought her pet lizard to a dog fest.

Most of the children at this event were little ones — not ready for school. Maybe all the school age kids already had dogs. The children were enjoying themselves. On the left, the girl in pink chased bubbles from a bubble machine in the dog grooming booth. And on the right two kids were parked in the shade by a ceramic dog on the outer wall of the memorial circle at Brandi Fenton park.

And then there was the Only in Tucson stuff, including Ann Marie Hoff who does pet readings. She will tell you if you and your dog are compatible and what problems she can identify. She’s on Amazon, too.

And next, the women who work at the Tucson Veterinary Urgent Care Clinic, keeping dogs and other creatures alive and healthy. I’m obviously missing something because I don’t recognize the meaning or origin of the white coat with red gloves or the black/white hair of the woman in black in the center. Is this a Dr. Who kind of thing?

And finally. Brandi Fenton Park has a large memorial circle where people can attach ceramic/pottery memorials for children and others who have died. There is, near the entrance, part of a wall dedicated to memorials for beloved pets.

I sure hope it cools off soon. Every day seems to be one for the record books. Had it been cooler I would have stayed at Dogtoberfest to see more contests and more puppies. Maybe next year.