Mardi Growl brings out the cutest faces in town!

This was just one of the hundreds of precious faces I saw downtown Saturday!

A continual drizzle Saturday could not dampen the spirits of hundreds of dogs and their people at the 4th annual Mardi Growl dog parade in downtown Knoxville. Quite the contrary. Dogs and humans in very size, shape and variety were unfailingly cheerful as they crowded Gay Street for the parade and Market Square for the after-party for the charitable event that raises money for Young-Williams Animal Center.

Mardi Growl is produced by Young-Williams and the city of Knoxville and is sponsored by PetSafe Village, Invisible Fence brand, WBIR-TV, the News Sentinel and B97.5.

Here’s how it goes. The parade steps off from PetSafe Downtown Dog Park at the corner of Summit Hill Drive and Central, heads west on Summit Hill and then turns south on Gay Street, pausing before the viewing stand at the Krutch Park extension, before ending at Market Square which is filled with vendor booths offering all manner of dog-related items. The Old City Buskers provide New Orleans-style jazz from the stage of the William Lyons Pavilion as the patios of the downtown restaurants fill with dogs and their owners. I was extremely impressed by the lack of a mess. It seems that every year these dog owners do a better job of picking up after their charges. Great job, folks. OK, photos:

I don’t know if it was because it was lunch time, but my favorite costumes were of dogs dressed up as food items! Ha!

This is Mr. Martini. He is dressed as spaghetti and meatballs!

This dog is dressed as an ice cream sundae! Hilarious.

Then there were the dogs dressed like other animals.

This one was a bee.

Here's a dragon. (I had to ask!)

But, by far, the most popular attire was just festive Mardi Gras accoutrement.

The classic Mardi Growl look.

Another version.

Eye-popping!

Very elegant.

Even a police dog can party!

Strutting!

Very tasteful.

Understated.

OK. You can put a boa on me, but I'm not giving up my John Deere hat!

Very pretty!

I was impressed by the optimism of the people who put hats on their dogs!

Cute top hat.

Wow. The hat is staying on!

Is this not the cutest thing?

And then there were the folks who put wings on their dogs!

This is Peaches.

Fairy dog?

Wow.

There’s always a big contingent of Vol dogs. “She already had the clothes,” one of the owners explained.

Pug Vol.

Very clear about his loyalties.

This is Layla. She is our neighbor at Cherokee Lofts.

A typical fan.

At least one other college team was represented.

I hope the real Uga is OK with this!

Some participants got very dressed up!

Very stylish!

Chic!

This dog is named Noble, and I can see why.

Festive.

Hmmm.

Ballerina?

Some others just threw on a t-shirt.

The casual look.

This guy went for the traditional look. Everyone knows a St. Bernard is supposed to have a barrel of brandy.

Cute.

This fellow looked like he wanted to be elsewhere!

This is humiliating!

This cracked me up! It was in a section of the parade for owners and dogs who looked alike.

Cows!

It doesn’t take a special event to get Patty Smith and her little dog, Millie, out to Market Square. They are regulars. But they joined the fun on Saturday. “She decided to wear her dog costume,” Smith quipped!

Millie dressed as a dog!

One of the best things about Mardi Growl Saturday was that the dog known as the Little Brown Dog was the grand marshal. The Little Brown Dog touched hearts near and far when she was rescued after her former owner dragged her behind a pickup truck, causing her life-threatening injuries. (There’s a special place in hell. . .But don’t get me started!) She was adopted by one of her doctors from the UT Vet School and today she seems happy and well-adjusted.

The Little Brown Dog and her new owner, Dr. Patricia Sura, were the grand marshals.

Kathy Darnell of Young-Williams Animal Center cuddles Little Brown Dog at the reviewing stand.

There were so many wonderful adoptable dogs at the event. If you’d like to find your new best friend, please go to Young-Williams Animal Center.

This seems like a great adoptable dog! There are many more.

And then, there were some people dressed as, you guessed it, dogs!!

The dog is Jack Harvey. The little girl is his daughter, Anya. The family owns a pet care business.

These guys are from Double Dogs Chow House on Hardin Valley Road. They gave me a card for a free order of wings!

The folks from Young-Williams in the viewing stand had the best seats of all — the dry ones! They were tasked with awarding prizes in several categories from best costume to congeniality. Tough job, but someone’s gotta do it!

Mark Williams, in center of photo, is the Williams of Young-Williams Animal Center. His daughter, Anna Bryn, was assisting him.

Over on Market Square the party raged on!

Some folks broke into dance!

Cute dog-themed merchandise was everywhere.

The stage was awesome -- even if it was a cat!

After a few hours, most of us felt like this lucky little fellow!

Goodnight, everybody!