By Hollie Harris
Attention proud dog owners with a sense of fun – It’s time to hit your dress-up box and get creative in preparation for the Pride Paws Parade on Saturday 25 February. The event brings together beautiful best-dressed pooches from across the community for a day of laughs and belly scratches – with some great prizes up for grabs.
The Pride Fair Day is a flagship event of the Sunshine Coast Pride Festival and celebrates the Sunshine Coast’s diversity by bringing together the LGBTIQ community, and their friends and family, in a fun and supportive environment.
Event co-ordinator Marj Blowers says all dogs and their parents (owners) from across the whole Sunshine Coast community are invited to take part in the Pride Paws Parade, and registration is free.
“Dressed-up dogs are invited to take part in a parade at 11am through the markets, and during this time, we’ll be judging winners in three categories – Most Glamorous Pride Pooch, Best Pride Parent Look-alike, and Best Rainbow Pride Pooch,” Marj says.
The winner of each prize category will receive a huge prize pack that includes a $100 gift voucher from Pet Stock, a personalised pooch portrait by artist Lorelle Murray; a $50 voucher from Original Eumundi Markets, as well as a $30 voucher from Smart Pet Treats, NeemPet dog wash products from Naturapetics, prize packs from Lemon Myrtle Products, herbal products from The Medicineroom, a Pride Pack, a Rainbow dog lead and a whole lot more.
“And we have a little something for every dressed-up dog that takes part on the day, with all participants receiving a $10 voucher from Pet Stock Noosa,” Marj says.
If you and your hound would like to take part, visit www.eumundimarkets.com.au for all the details.
The underlying 2017 Festival theme is ‘Under The Rainbow’ – acknowledging that we are all born under the same sky and we are all equal.
The festivities will be held across two stages – the Eumundi Amphitheatre Stage (hosted by renowned Sunshine Coast drag queen Melony Brests) and the Rainbow Stage (hosted by the ever fabulous drag queen diva Sal Monalla).
The line-up of entertainment includes a Welcome to Country with Lyndon Davis; a ride-through by the infamous Dykes on Bikes; special appearances by drag queen supremos Holly Wood and Candy Surprise; Mettaphor; Lea Sanson; Darren Adler; The Ukulele Sisters; Annie J and Fusion; Lizzy Maynes; Burlesque L’amour; and Kristy Apps and the Shotgun Shirleys.
There will also be balloon artistry fun and face painting for families at the ‘Kids Zone’ (in the Amphitheatre area of the markets) and following the fun at the markets, Solar will be playing at the Imperial Hotel’s Green Room from 3pm.
