K is for Kalamazoo Do-Dah Parade

The first weekend in June (today), Kalamazoo kicks off the downtown summer season with a large outdoor art fair, a Greek festival, and the Do-Dah Parade. The Do-Dah Parade is billed as "a parade of silliness down the main streets of the city", and that it is.

One of the crowd favorites this year was the Briarwood All American Canine Capers starring my Pappy and many of his doggy school friends dressed in patriotic finery and looking pretty silly.

Ramon the standard poodle singing the Star Spangled Banner in the staging area.


Doggy teacher Gail and her Australian cattle dog Favor waiting for our turn to take off down the streets of Kalamazoo.


Pappy is at least eight years old and I was concerned about his ability to walk over a mile on the warm pavement. Plan B was to pick him up and carry him if he started looking weary.

He had a great time and walked the whole way. When it was over, we hustled into the car, turned on the air conditioning and drove to Wendy's where he got his parade reward kiddy hamburger.


Out on the parade route Denise led us in some interesting marching maneuvers. The crowd was too busy looking at the dogs to notice what we were doing.


Pappy has been sleeping ever since we got home. I had a little nap, too.