BY MARY WICOFF
Commercial-News
DANVILLE —
Not to be outdone by the two-legged Walldogs, local canines will get a chance to show off next weekend.
Dogs and their owners — both children and adults — are invited to take part in a parade Saturday morning, and look at a couple of murals along the way. Afterward, there will be an obedience demonstration at the Danville Public Library.
The Doggone Dandy Dog Parade on Saturday is part of Walldogs week. The first-time event begins Wednesday night when more than 160 artists start preparing to paint murals on buildings around Danville.
The logo for the Danville event shows a dog in a top hat and tuxedo, with the words “Dog Gone Dandy.”
The grand marshals for the parade are Dr. John Mason and Darrel Jacobs, founders of Fetch Dog Park, who are expected to wear top hats to match the logo. Alice Jacobs, president of Danville Area Community College, also will lead the parade.
“We hope people will come whose dogs enjoy other dogs and people,” said Barb Nolan, director of the Danville Public Library, which is coordinating the walk.
Children who can’t bring their live pet or who are allergic to dogs are invited to bring their stuffed animal for the parade.
Nolan expects 25-50 dogs and people; however, the turnout will depend on the weather.
“It all depends on how hot it is,” Nolan said. “There may be just a parade of stuffed dogs.”
Anne Sacheli, sales director with the Danville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, came up with the idea for a dog parade.
“I wanted something that would appeal to kids and add another dimension to it (the Walldogs event),” she said.
Although she’ll be too busy to bring her two dogs, Sacheli thinks the parade will go over well.
“I think people like to have fun — especially people with animals,” she said.
The route
The parade route will start at the library and turn west onto Seminary Street, then south on Vermilion Street. Walkers will pass the Vermilion County War Museum, where a moveable mural will be in progress.
Then, the parade will cross Madison Street; that block of Madison between Hazel and Vermilion will be closed to traffic for a while. Walkers will be able to see another mural at the site of the former Chittick’s eye clinic at Vermilion and Harrison.
The route will go east onto Harrison and then turn left at the Wolford onto Hazel, and then return to the library. All walkers will stay on the sidewalks.
Back at the library, Marilyn Campbell, who teaches a dog obedience class at DACC, and others will demonstrate dog obedience.
Police K-9 dogs will be at the library, but they won’t walk. One of the walkers, however, will be the German shepherd Charlie, an offspring of the famous Rin Tin Tin; he’s owned by Matt and Amy Hoose of Danville.
Everyone will get a certificate, Nolan said, and a bag of goodies.
The walk and obedience demonstration are expected to end by 11 a.m. so people can catch the dedication of the “sign post forest” at Vermilion and Harrison.
The rules
The groups will be separated by the children carrying stuffed animals.
FYI
Pre-registration for the dog parade is preferred by picking up forms at the Danville Public Library. Forms should be returned by 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Or you may register at 9 a.m. Saturday on the library’s lawn, with the walk starting at 9:30 a.m.
