The Seafood Festival

Our area hosts several festivals every year. The Tomato Festival, the Manatee Arts Festival and the Seafood Festival (I think I might be forgetting one, but they are pretty much all the same).
One of the puppy raisers in our group always sets up a booth for Southeastern Guide Dogs. The festivals are on the weekend so Saturday and Sunday the raisers in our "South Shore" group take turns manning the booth and exposing the dogs to all the MANY new sights, sounds and smells.

Ellie and I went on Sunday. Near the food court (full of seafood options mind you :) there is a large pavilion with a live band. Either Ellie doesn't care for Jamaican style music or was not impressed by how loud they were playing... I think the latter. She was not very happy about all the noise, music, people yelling and screaming, kids running around, dogs everywhere....talk about an overload.
So, in a less disruptive crowd, we sat in the smack dab middle of everyone. After about 10 minutes of Miss. Ellie "calming down" and soaking all the noise and smells in, Ellie was perfectly fine! We then continued to walk through the crowd like we didn't have to have a "freaking-out, needing to calm down, pep talk" and found our booth.   

Yes, Ellie grabbed the ladies lollypop... I sure hope the lady threw it away after that. I had to watch this couple closely... I'm sure they would have snatched Ellie away in 3 seconds flat!

Yup. Ellie pretty much rocked these girls' day!

She rocked mine too!

Loving on the Collies, Popi and Linny

Mr. Boose wanted to hold Ellie so bad, and I wanted to hold Linny so bad!

There were MANY other dogs that came with their families. Since the festival are held at local parks, dog are always welcome. We met Akitas, Mastiffs, Chows, Chihuahuas, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Goldens, Greyhounds, Mutt dogs, etc.One of the cutest puppies we met, was this sweet thing...

Ellie and Kelton had to sniff her all over! She was so tiny.

This sweet girl...

Is going to Georgia tomorrow. She went through her "puppy raising days", went to "College" and was "homeplaced" with a man in Georgia who has had several guide dogs. She was at the festival because the Booses (her puppy raisers) were able to keep her while Linny waited for her ride to Georgia meet her forever person! Go get 'em Linny!

        Meagan and Ellie May