Dogs of summer invited to shop

Southeast Missourian

Tonight, Downtown Cape Girardeau promises to be a pooch's paradise thanks to the Dog Days of Summer, an Old Town Cape event that aims to please local residents and their furry friends.

The event is also intended to help kick off the fall series of Tunes at Twilight at 6:30 p.m. at the courthouse gazebo on Lorimer Street. North Carolina singer-songwriter Chris Rosser opens the fall series.

"We have several dogs that attend Tunes at Twilight. We wanted to help bring their owners downtown," said Old Town Cape's executive director Catherine Dunlap.

Starting at 4:30 p.m., participating downtown store owners will allow pets inside their stores, which will remain open until 8 p.m. Participating restaurants will provide outdoor seating for people and their pets.

Businesses participating include Sidewalk Sandwich Co., Buckner Brewing Co., Hempies, Annie Ems, Dockside Furniture, Back Porch Antiques, Spanish Street Mercantile, Brick Street Gallery, Laser Memories, Hutson's Fine Furniture, Bella Italia, The Plant Lady, Lang's Jewelers, the Bel Air Grill and Jason's Jewelers.

At 6 p.m., contests will be held at the courthouse gazebo lawn, where pet owners can find out who has the cutest pet, best dressed pet, best named pet and who looks the most like their pet.

Also on the courthouse lawn, personnel from Skyview Animal Clinic will be on hand to provide information on pet health and care, and workers from the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri will have information about adopting animals from their shelter.

Participating store owners will get in on the fun by having canisters with photos of their pets on them, so the public can vote on which merchant has the cutest pet and be donating money to the Humane Society at the same time.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

Want to go?

What: The Dog Days of Summer

When: 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Where: Downtown Cape Girardeau

~ kalfisi@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182