More video from Beacon Barks 2009

A hot day, but lots of fun for all the hundreds of pooches and their owners during Beacon Barks 2009.

Debbi Calabrese, one of the organizers, said the turnout was far greater than either of the two previous years.

She was a little concerned about the high temperatures (locally the high was 90 degrees, besting a 47-year record for the date). After the parade was over, kiddie wading pools and ice packs were brought out to ensure the dogs could adequately cool off.

I know that lots of people were hugging the south side of Main Street where (minimal) shade could be found.

Here are a couple of videos from before the parade kick-off, with people gathering west of Main Street.





Libby Faison, co-owner of the Beacon Barkery and co-sponsor of the parade and festival, made a few comments before the parade kick-off.



Beacon Mayor Steve Gold read a city council proclamation giving certain rights to dogs in Beacon. He said he would marry any two dogs "regardless of breed, pedigree or gender." Beacon is a progressive city. [Sorry about the shaky video. Kate decided to head in another direction as I was shooting it.]



Here's the beginning of the parade.



Here's part of the parade toward the end.



And finally a pan of Main Street.



That's it for today. I've got more pictures and will post them Sunday.

Reminder about Beacon Barks

The forecast for Saturday in Beacon, N.Y., calls for 71 degrees and sunny at 11 a.m.

That is the time the Beacon Barks parade and street festival kicks off.

Bring your dog and join in.

Are you ready for Beacon Barks 2009?

Hey, everyone with dogs out there in the mid-Hudson Valley. It's time again for Beacon Barks.

The parade and street festival is in its third year, sponsored by the Beacon Barkery, the Dutchess County SPCA and Signal Graphics Printing.

It will be held Saturday, rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with opening statements just west of Muddy Cup on Main Street at the beginning and the parade kicking off shortly thereafter.

Kate and I are planning to go again.

Here is some video from last year.



Accuweather is predicting a temperature of 64 degrees under partly sunny skies for Saturday at 11 a.m.

So you really have no excuse then, do you?

Beacon Barks animal blessing

At Beacon Barks street festival Saturday, Lise Worthington of the First Congregational Church in Poughkeepsie gave a short speech before offering to bless the pets in attendance.

Beacon barked Saturday — part two

I took lots of pictures and video while Kate and I were at Beacon Barks today. Like last year, it was a lot of fun being around people who love their dogs.

Keep checking back. You never know when I'll post some more from the dog-friendly city of Beacon.

There were hundreds of people and dogs who showed up for the start of the festival. It's hard to estimate how many, but there were definitely more than last year. And DCSPCA immediate past board President Debbi Calabrese said it's going to be even bigger next year.

The Beacon Barkery was one of the co-sponsors of the event. From the looks of the traffic in and out of the shop, they did some nice business Saturday.

One of the winners of the costume contest was Daisy, a miniature Schnauzer, owned by Courtney Chandler of Hyde Park. Daisy is 4 years old and really pulls that outfit off.

It's a long-standing tradition (going back to last year) that Kate has her picture taken with the mayor of Beacon. Steve Gold, above with Kate, assumed the office in January.

No doubt about it, Beacon is a beautiful city. This view is looking east on Main Street toward Beacon Mountain. Takes my breath away.

Her majesty, er, sorry, Kate took every advantage to lie down while we were at Beacon Barks. I have a lot of video of her sprawled in the middle of Main Street. Here she is getting comfortable in Mountain Tops Outdoor and Hiking store. They graciously opened their doors to dogs and their owners.

I was walking down Main Street with Joyce Garrity, the DCSPCA's executive director, and her 3-1/2-year-old standard poodle Reina. Joyce asked me if Kate enjoyed all the excitement of things like Beacon Barks.

Truthfully, I said, Kate's 13 years old and I was sure she would rather be sleeping on the couch.

But, also truthfully, Kate was a real trooper today. She made it down to Beacon and back without so much as a ... well, let's say the car didn't require any emergency cleaning.

How about that traffic this morning on 9D though? Sheesh.

Beacon barked Saturday — the video!

Hundreds of dogs and their owners marched down Main Street today in Beacon, part of the second annual Animal Shelter Appreciation Day parade and street festival.

It benefited the Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. One of the main sponsors was the Beacon Barkery.

Here's a video of the event. There'll be some photos coming later.

Beacon Barks is set for Saturday

This is not what Kate will be doing tomorrow morning.

We will be traveling down to Beacon for


There will be activities for children, along with dog obedience training demonstrations. Many stores will be allowing pooches in their establishments, too.

It benefits the Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Beacon Barkery is one of the sponsors.

For more information, call the DCSPCA at 845-454-5345, ext. 100 or the Beacon Barkery at 845-440-7652. You can also get info from the Web sites by clicking on the links above.

See you there!

A look back at Beacon Barks

Here is a montage of pictures I took at the first annual Beacon Barks last year.



Remember that this Saturday the second annual street festival for dogs and their humans begins with the parade at 11 a.m.

For more information, click here.

See you there.

All dogs go to Beacon Barks

The 2nd annual Animal Shelter Appreciation day — Beacon Barks — will be Saturday, April 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the City of Beacon.

It benefits the Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Beacon Barkery is one of the sponsors.

A parade of dogs and their owners will start the event, and there will also be a blessing of the animals, obedience demonstrations and pooches available for adoption.

The parade line up is at 11 a.m. in Peace Park at Bank Square. There will be trophies for best canine group, canine marcher and canine spirit.

If you didn't attend last year, it was a huge amount of fun. Dogs were welcomed in many shops and restaurants along Main Street during the event. Participants will be displaying "Beacon Barks! Welcome Here" signs.

For more information, call the DCSPCA at 845-454-5345, ext. 100 or the Beacon Barkery at 845-440-7652. You can also get info from the Web sites by clicking on the links above.

A PDF of the event poster (above) can be downloaded here.

Beacon goes to the dogs (sorry)

The City of Beacon turned Main Street over to canines of all sizes and shapes today for the first annual Animal Shelter Appreciation Day's "Beacon Barks!" parade and street fair. Local merchants welcomed dogs and their owners into the shops and even provided water and treats.

Before the parade, dogs and their humans gathered at the base of Main Street. Kate got to meet several cute pups.


Willie (named after Willie Nelson), a 1-3/4-year-old cockapoo owned by Art Burns of Beacon.


Kate says hello to 9-year-old Molly O'Hamlin, a bearded collie with a summer haircut, and 14-year-old Sam Malone, a west highland terrier. They are owned by Suzanne Hamlin of Newburgh.


The parade kicked off shortly after 11 a.m. with Debbi Calabrese of the Dutchess County SPCA holding the banner and dancing to "Who Let the Dogs Out?" What would we do if that song hadn't been written?



During the parade, Boston, an 18-month-old black pug owned by Tamela Hayes of Wappingers Falls, had the right idea. Get in the shade and onto some cool asphalt as Kate looks on.


Walking alongside Kate and me was Roland, a 3-year-old terrier mix owned by the Journal's Assistant Local Desk Editor Maria Burnham, who said everyone who stopped her to ask what breed Roland was had a different idea of what made up his Roland-ness.


It was shoulder to shoulder and paw to paw inside The Beacon Barkery after the parade. The store, which co-sponsored the parade and street fair with the DCSPCA and the City of Beacon, was also filled with treats and collars and toys and food for dogs. I bought a few for Kate, but the icing didn't fair too well in 80+ temperatures. She didn't seem to mind, devouring the heart-shaped cookie first.


There were even dogs available for adoption. Here, Mary Ellen Mikula of East Fishkill volunteered to man the DCSPCA mobile adoption van.


The DCSPCA also had agility demonstrations and music throughout the afternoon. Kate, unwillingly, took advantage of the Dog Wash, the proceeds of which went to the DCSPCA. Attending to her highness was John Bier of Beacon and Isabel Rose of the City of Poughkeepsie, a DCSPCA volunteer.


A highlight of the day for Kate was getting her picture taken with Beacon Mayor Clara Lou Gould. After 18 years in office, Gould is not seeking re-election. She is ostensibly hanging up her hat, but probably not the one she is wearing.


Kate was plum tuckered out by the excitement of all those butts to sniff, not to mention those city lamp posts. While Burnham and I had some coffee at Muddy Cup, Kate did her impersonation of a rug, albeit a panting rug.


If anyone has any pictures they want to share from Saturday's Beacon Barks!, send them to me here.

Dogs take over Beacon Saturday

"Beacon Barks!" — the first annual Animal Shelter Appreciation Day — will be held Saturday, June 2 in the City of Beacon, N.Y.

The street fair will be in the revitalized downtown area of Main Street and will begin with a parade of companion canines at 11 a.m. at Bank Square.

The festival will continue until 4 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, June 3.

The day will also feature an agility demonstration, a dog wash and a concert starring Murray Weinstock of dogtunes.com. Shopping specials will be available at participating stores throughout the afternoon.

Rescued dogs will be available for adoption from the Dutchess County SPCA, Animal Rescue Foundation and the Putnam Humane Society.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to spend an afternoon with your best friend in a dog-friendly town," said Joyce Garrity, DCSPCA's executive director. "Beacon is really rolling out the red carpet for local animal shelters, and we are very proud to help host the first annual Beacon Barks!"

For information or directions, call the Beacon Barkery at (845) 440-7652 or the Dutchess County SPCA at (845) 454-5345, ext. 100.

Kate and I will see you there.