KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Several roads in downtown Knoxville will be closed on Saturday so pups and their owners can parade around in their Mardi Growl finest!
The huge pet parade and party routinely brings out crowds of people dressed in their most extravagant costumes to match their pets' clothes.
The city of Knoxville said some downtown roads will need to be closed to accommodate the event, with street parking being unavailable for a few hours.
Starting at 7:30 a.m. on March 4, street parking will close on Willow Avenue between South Central Street and Patton Street. The same blocks will be closed to traffic until noon to accommodate parade registration and staging under James White Parkway.
Animals walking in the parade need to be registered ahead of time, and there is a $15 fee per animal. This year, participants have a chance to raise money ahead of the parade. The person that raises the most money will win a YETI bundle, which includes a cooler, a tumbler and a Boomer 4 dog bowl.
The parade will step off at 10:45 a.m. from Willow Avenue at North Central Street and head north to West Jackson Avenue. Parade participants will then turn onto West Jackson and proceed across Broadway to World's Fair Park Drive, continuing past Grand Avenue to the World's Fair Park Festival Lawn for costume judging.
The city said roads along the parade route will be closed from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
The World's Fair Park Performance Lawn will host the rest of the festival, which includes food trucks, pet-friendly vendors, live music, games and more.
People are encouraged to bring plastic bags from homes to pick up after their pets along the parade and during the festivities.
This year, Tanker the Dalmation, accompanied by Knoxville Fire Department Assistant Chief Brent Seymour, will serve as the parade's grand marshal.
Mardi Growl is meant to raise money to help Young-Williams Animal Center through parade registrations and sponsorships. It also celebrates pets throughout the community and the businesses that uplift it.