Bailey, a 10-year-old Bernese mountain dog, takes in the sun while decked out in Mardi Gras decorations on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
Pooches, parrots and partygoers filled the streets of Soulard to celebrate the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade, a staple of the St. Louis Mardi Gras season.
Dan Koehler, a Purina spokeswoman, said its team estimated between 80,000 and 90,000 people at the event last year, when more than $15,000 was raised for the House Springs-based Open Door Animal Sanctuary.
In addition to its philanthropic ties, the parade and Mardi Gras festivities bring out St. Louisans' creativity, Koehler said.
“People will ideate for months and then take weeks to handcraft unique individual Mardi Gras-inspired costumes," he said. "It's always fantastic to see pet owners out sharing that bond with their pets, sharing some smiles with the community.”
Tammy McPeek, of O’Fallon, Missouri, trekked to the parade along with her husband, Lee, and their two Shih Tzus — Mr. Meatball and Olive — who were found basking on the warm Sunday afternoon.
"The tuxedo jacket that we put together took probably 60 hours to make," she said. "We put a lot of time into it because it's really fun, and we just want to make it special every year."
In addition to Purina's Pet Parade, festivalgoers enjoyed trying what local eateries had to offer during the Taste of Soulard event and cheered on pooches during the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby — the longest-running wiener dog race in the nation.
The race was highlighted by a matchup to predict the outcome of Super Bowl LVII between Eddie, a 4-year-old chihuahua wearing a Kansas City Chiefs jersey from St. Louis County and Speckles, a 3-year-old long-haired dachshund in Philadelphia Eagles gear from Swansea.
Tammy McPeek, of O’Fallon, Mo., shows off her Mardi Gras jacket on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Richard Hunt, 64, of Mt. Pleasant, holds his 15-year-old blue-and-yellow macaw Kiyago on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Lucy, a 12-year-old King Charles Spaniel, rides in a wagon on Sunday during the Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Bullet, a 1-year-old miniature dachshund, sits in the jacket of Sherry Miller, 48, of Labadie, on Sunday during the Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
KSDK’s Rene Knott and Carolyn Kindle, St. Louis City S.C. President/CEO and Enterprise Holdings Foundation president, serve as the Purina Pet Parade’s grand marshals on Sunday in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Elizabeth, 7, and Rocio, 7, pet Callie, a 5-year-old Dachshund-Beagle mix, while Margaret, 6, and Valentina, 4, sit next to them on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard. Redmond, an 8-year-old Golden Lab, stands behind them.
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St. Louis Public Radio
A group of French Bulldogs look to the camera on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Honey, a 10-month-old French Bulldog, licks its nose while being held by Justin Gabillet, 31, of Troy, Ill., on Sunday in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Star, a 12-year-old Doberman, rides in a modified bicycle cart with his owner, Dan Hoadley, of the Central West End, on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard. Hoadley said this is the first year back after Star’s sibling died during the pandemic and he made a replica Doberman named Ata Boy to fill his place; he's been in the parade 10 times.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Khaleesi, a 7-year-old standard poodle, on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
A paradegoer wears a blinged out jacket on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Tink, a 4-year-old miniature schnauzer, goes up on the legs of their owner Tori Moore, 23, of Affton, on Sunday before the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Macho, a 1-year-old Pug, stands next to Amanda Banks, of Fenton, while blinged out in Kansas City Chiefs gear on Sunday during the Purina Pet Parade.
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St. Louis Public Radio
From left: standard poodles Khaleesi, 7; Alice, 7; Hank, 8, and Lavender, 3, on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Brian Wahby, "Ruler in Exile,” tosses beads to the crowd on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Paradegoers pet Bocephus, an 11-month-old Great Pyrenees, on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Bernie, an 8-year-old Bichon Frise, sits on the lap of Jessica Thurston, 33, of Maplewood, on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Fiona, a 2-year-old Corgi, looks up to the camera while sitting next to Morgan, a 7-year-old Corgi, on Sunday during the Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Leah Bevis, 29, of Soulard, reaches for beads while holding Luna, a 7-year-old Chihuahua terrier mix, on Sunday during the 30th annual Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Sandy Delvecchio, 49, of St. Charles, checks her phone as Karen Kulage, 56, of St. Charles, pets Roman, a 13-year-old pit bull mix on Sunday during the Purina Pet Parade in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Fans cheer on a miniature dachshund on Sunday during the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Dachshunds run down a track on Sunday during the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Dachshund owners beckon their dogs on Sunday during the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Dachshund owners beckon their dogs on Sunday during the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
A dachshund stops while racing and Maggie Kiely, 29, of Benton Park, raises Clark, her 1-year-old Dachshund on Sunday after they won the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Taylor Bourland, 24, of Wentzville, hugs Finney, her 2.5-year-old dachshund, after winning a wiener dog race on Sunday during the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby in Soulard.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Eddie, a 4-year-old Chihuahua, races Speckles, a 3-year-old long-haired dachshund on Sunday during the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby in Soulard. Eddie, dressed in Kansas City Chiefs gear, beat Speckles, dressed in Eagles gear, during a race to predict the outcome of the Super Bowl later that day.
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St. Louis Public Radio
Tammy Milster, of St. Louis County, holds Eddie, her 4-year-old Chihuahua, while next to Kimberly Henrichs, of Swansea, and Speckles a 3-year-old long-haired dachshund on Sunday, during the Tito’s Vodka Wiener Dog Derby in Soulard. Eddie, dressed in Kansas City Chiefs gear, beat Speckles, dressed in Eagles gear, during a race to predict the outcome of the Super Bowl later that day.
