What? Carolina Great Pyrenees Rescue is once again turning the Charlotte St. Patrick’s Day parade into a Pyrade!
When?: March 11 from 9 am until 1 pm
Who? CGPR alum and their people are invited. Non-Pyr canine siblings are welcome to march, as are children. This is a family-friendly event.
Social Pyrs not adopted through CGPR who are 1) spayed/neutered 2) fully vaccinated and 3) social are welcome to join us. Proof of spay/neuter and vaccination required via email in advance.
Please note, while most Pyrs have a ball, the parade is not for every Pyr (or person). There will be other animals (dog rescues and horses), large crowds, and who knows what different kinds of noises and people — scooter riders, dancers, and marching bands. If your Pyr is reactive and easily overwhelmed, this is not be a good place for them. Please, no dogs requiring muzzles.
How? First, please RSVP to march with us. To RSVP, please email us at parade@carolinapyrrescue.com. Let us know 1) how many humans and Pyrs are in your group 2) whether or not you adopted from CGPR and 3) whether or not any member of your group needs to ride on the trailer. We will ask those who didn’t adopt from us to confirm that their dog is spayed/neutered and fully vaccinated.
Second, we ask that all adults participating wear our 2020/2023 CGPR Pyrade shirt. We are wearing the shirts we never got to march in when the 2020 parade was canceled. If you have the shirt already, great! If you don’t, you can purchase shirts by clicking the STORE link on our webpage. We wear matching shirts so we look like a group. T-shirt sales also cover the cost of the event. We do not use funds donated for the Pyrs’ care for this event. Instead, we fundraise for it through t-shirt sales. The shirt is a 100% cotton Hanes Beefy t-shirt. The fit is unisex and true-to-size. Children too small for the rescue shirt are asked to wear a hunter green shirt.
THE DEADLINE TO RSVP AND ORDER SHIRTS IS MARCH 1.
We will also have decorative green shamrock ribbon collars available. These are elastic and stretch to fit dogs whose necks are 20-24 inches in circumference. These are well-made and reusable.
FAQs:
1) How do I get my shirt? Once we receive the shirts from our printer, we will email those who ordered them. If we receive the shirts early enough, you will have the option to pick up your shirts in advance from Rose and Stephen in Davidson, NC or Shannon at the Pyr rescue. We will bring the rest of the shirts to the parade meet-up. We cannot promise that we will have shirts in advance.
2) How long is the parade route? We will walk about 2.5 miles total.
3) I want to participate but can’t walk/my Pyr can’t walk. Can I still come? Once again, we will have a trailer for some of our senior Pyrs and those with limited mobility. Space is limited, and we will accommodate as many Pyrs and people as we can.
4) What do I need to bring? Yourself! Your Pyr! A water bottle for you! (We’ll have water bowls for the Pyrs.) Poop bags! A solid leash!
5) When and where will we meet on parade day? For up-to-date information about the parade, check back here, and check your email. We will email those who RSVP with specific instructions re: meet-up location and time the week before the parade, which is when organizers assign us a spot. Expect to meet between 9:30 and 10 in Uptown. The parade starts at 11. We will be done marching by 12:30.
6) Is there beer? All who march and all others are invited to gather for beers afterwards at Birdsong Brewery.