The Big Dog Parade and Canine Festival began as nothing more than a small block party. A group of Big Dogs employees and some friends got together to have a party for their dogs. The block party occupied just one city block in Santa Barbara near the flagship store of Big Dog Sportswear. The Big Dog Parade and Canine Festival became a great way for the Big Dog Foundation to raise money for worthy charities. With the help of the Parade, the Foundation has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities helping dogs, children and dogs that help people.
		As the enthusiasm for this event grew and more people joined in on the fun, it didn’t take long for the humble block party to outgrow its original location. To the delight of the people and dogs that had been a part of this event from the beginning, the block party became the Big Dog Parade and Canine Festival.
		The Big Dog Parade and Canine Festival now takes over Santa Barbara for the entire first weekend of June each year. People and their dogs travel for hours; filling the local hotels to capacity just to be a part of this amazing event.
				The 13th Annual Big Dog Parade and Canine Festival will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2007. A Santa Barbara tradition, this event is anxiously awaited by thousands of local residents as well as visitors from across the nation.
		The Big Dog Parade and Canine Festival is the largest dog event in the country bringing dog-lovers and families from all over the U.S. Thousands of people gather along scenic State Street in historic downtown Santa Barbara to watch the amusing spectacle as dogs dressed in hilarious costumes march the Parade route with their proud owners.