Sometimes the exact thing you didn’t know you needed is a bunch of dogs in costumes.
That turned out to be the case Saturday morning, when about 350 dogs — escorted by nearly 600 humans and cheered on by many more of both species along the sidewalks — took to the streets for the 19th annual Mardi Growl parade and festival benefiting Young-Williams Animal Center.
This year’s parade began outside Covenant Health Park, zigzagged through the Old City down Central and up Jackson, and marched straight on until it reached World’s Fair Park for the afterparty. The Fulton High School Marching Band led the way, performing “When the Saints Go Marching In” on repeat, followed by a sort of perfectly chaotic promenade of pups.
Mardi Growl marks the unofficial start of festival season in downtown Knoxville. March weather can be hit or miss, but Saturday delivered a warm, sunny welcome to spring. After what has felt, to me, like an interminably long winter, I was just happy to be outside, surrounded by wagging tails and a crowd of people gathered for a genuinely feel-good event benefiting a good cause.
Mardi Growl, presented by Zoom Room, is a major fundraiser for Young-Williams Animal Center, the municipal shelter serving both the City of Knoxville and Knox County. More than 11,000 animals pass through Young-Williams’ doors each year, and events like Mardi Growl help support the shelter’s work toward its mission of “a home for every pet.”
“The 19th annual Mardi Growl parade and festival was truly a paw-some event,” Young-Williams Animal Center CEO Janet Testerman said. “So many people and pets came to participate, cheer, shop, eat, learn, microchip, vaccinate, donate and, most of all, celebrate.
“It was a joyful, fur-filled celebration of our wonderful companion animals, and the Young-Williams Animal Center team, volunteers and board of directors could not be more grateful for all the support. We will put the dollars raised and wonderful Mardi Growl energy from this community to great use as we continue to serve more than 10,000 animals in need each year.”
Once the parade wrapped up at World’s Fair Park, the celebration continued with a pet festival on the Performance Lawn featuring dozens of vendors, food trucks, games and costume contests.
Judges awarded prizes across several categories, a task that must have been nearly impossible given the level of creativity on display. This year’s winners were:
- Best in Show: Punk Rock in Purple
- Two of a Kind: Stranger Pugs starring Clover Jean
- Team Spirit: Team USA
- Leader of the Pack: Helen Ross McNabb Foundation
- Celebrity Look-alike: The Pup-side Down
- Most Creative: 2026 Super Bowl Half-Time Show
Well done to all. Learn more about Young-Willians Animal Center: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Threads
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