Olivia Sayer
Lucy, who is dressed up as The Magic School Bus, poses for a photo on Oct. 15, 2023 at Boo-le-Bark on the Boulevard. The annual event raises money for Athens Pets. (Photo/Olivia Sayer)
Fall is in the air, and the changing of leaves signifies the return of an event combining furry creatures with the Halloween spirit— Boo-le-Bark on the Boulevard. The popular event returned to Athens Sunday, as numerous amounts of people lined the intersection of Barber and Boulevard to take part in the festivities.
Boo-le-Bark is an annual event that started in 2016. Presented by Phil Hughes Honda, it raises money for Athens Pets and features dogs dressed up in costumes parading down the street.
This year’s celebration began with a costume contest, where dogs and their owners lined up to show off their creative costumes. The theme was “Shoot for the Stars,” although some participants opted to go in a different direction.
One of those participants was Travis Osebold, who used a television show involving a well-known monkey as his inspiration.
“A lot of people told me he looked like Curious George since I got him,” Osebold said. “So we went with it, and I got the Man in the Yellow Hat costume.”
Travis Osebold and his dog pose for a photo on Oct. 15, 2023 at Boo-le-Bark on the Boulevard. The two participated in the costume contest benefiting Athens Pets. (Photo/Olivia Sayer)
As was the case with many participants, not only were the dogs decked out, but the owners were too. Parade committee chair Ashley Short said the dedication from the handlers is what impresses her the most about the variety of costumes she sees each year.
A parade followed the costume contest, where many dogs pranced down the Boulevard with their tails wagging. Spectators lined the streets to get a glimpse of the canines.
“It’s fantastic!” first-time attendee Hannah Brannen said. “It’s really great to see everybody coming out, and the dogs are adorable.”
For those not participating in the dog festivities, there were various other exhibits to occupy one’s time. The location of Boo-le-Bark coincided with that of Historic Athens Porchfest, an event combining live music with the many front porches in Athens. Those attending Boo-le-Bark were privy to both the live music and food trucks lining the streets.
Although all of the festivities were the main-draw, the true passion of Boo-le-Bark is to help raise Money for Athens Pets, an all-volunteer organization set on helping needy animals in the Athens area.
Kylie Muzio, a sales consultant at Phil Hughes Honda, said the company cherishes the opportunity to sponsor the event due to the owner’s passion for both helping dogs in need, as well as loving the community Athens has to offer.
“So, of course, we just wanted to kind of show some support and get more people here to adopt the dogs that are being, like, advertised,” Muzio said.
The community provided by the event is something many visitors pointed to when asked what they love most about attending.
“Athens has so much wonderful, great culture here,” Lizzie Rice, a UGA student that attended the event with her mom said. “And it’s wonderful to see a fantastic and beautiful community like Boulevard, just come together and enjoy a wonderful holiday that unites family, friends, children, doggies.”
Why I Wrote the Story:
I chose to write this story because I believe Boo-le-Bark on the Boulevard is an event that will bring a lot of smiles to different faces. Plus, who doesn’t love looking at pictures of dogs? I also believe it to be timely, as the event took place a couple of weeks prior to Halloween.