(Featured photo is of Elise McFarland with her English bulldog Mya at Bark-O-Ween. Ron Baxley Jr./Augusta Good News)
Area pups and their families had a howling good Bark-O-Ween time at Evans Towne Center Park Oct. 19.
Elise McFarland dressed her English bulldog, Mya, as a turkey for the event.
“I saw it was a Bark-O-Ween, so I wanted to come out,” said McFarland.
Bark-O-Ween was held in conjunction with Columbia County Parks, Recreation and Events’ trick-or-treat festivities. Hundreds came out for the event that featured more than 90 vendors and organizations under tents. There were some food trucks as well.
“This event aims to lure residents and their four-legged companions out to our beautiful park and to encourage a sense of togetherness and outdoor engagement,” said Christi DeLoach, the county’s outdoor recreation coordinator. “After all, we recognize that our pets are integral members of the Columbia County family, and Bark-O-Ween provides the perfect occasion to bring them to the heart of the community.”
The coordinator said she is an animal lover and has seen similar events in other areas.
“Next year, we hope to have a canine costume contest in coordination with this,” DeLoach said.
At this year’s event, every fifth dog stopping by the recreation department tent got a prize, and tickets were taken for a drawing for a PetCo gift basket which will be drawn for Friday.
One of Amber and Garret Johnson’s Golden Retrievers was a fifth dog and received a rope pull toy.
The entire family dressed in tribute to characters from the movie, Grease.
Ms. Johnson was dressed as a Pink Lady; her husband was one of the T-birds, and their goldens, Winnie, six months, and Chloe, 3, were dressed as Pink Ladies.
A Morkie named Mickey just missed the fifth dog prize.
Mickey who belongs to Alyssa and Joey Dombroski, was dressed as Mike Wazowski from the Pixar film Monsters, Inc. The couple’s other Morkie, Rico, was dressed as Batman.
Paula and Wayne Hendrix brought their dachshund, Layla, who was dressed as a pumpkin.
“I wanted to see all of the dogs,” Ms. Hendrix said.
Correspondent Ron Baxley Jr. is a veteran journalist who has worked with multiple news organizations in his career. Subscribe to the Augusta Good News’ newsletter here.
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