Bloomington community members gathered on Sunday for a chance to see Lil Bub at the annual Barktoberfest and Run for Animals 5K.
Passersby were starstruck, taking pictures and asking to pet the famous cat.
“Bub’s not crazy about dogs, but she likes some of them a little better than other cats,” owner Mike Bridavsky said, holding the cat.
On Sunday, the event, which was organized by the Monroe County Humane Association, had a larger attendance than the runners could remember.
Jennifer Fox, a runner in the 5K for the last few years, said she has been volunteering with the MCHA for almost 13 years.
She said she helps administer “K-9-ality” tests – personality tests for dogs – as well as adoption counseling and walks dogs at the shelters.
“I just got Red last week, he’s a foster dog,” Fox said. “I’m trying to decide if I’m gonna keep him. I think it’s gonna be a yes.”
She said the event moved locations last year to the Woolery Mill grounds and Clear Creek trails and includes a dog costume contest, fastest licker and best trick contest.
The costume contest was one of the most popular events, with dogs dressed as pumpkins, penguins and just sweaters their owners had bought for them.
“People just love to show off their dogs,” Fox said. “What better way to do that than bringing them here.”
The race was at the beginning of the event, with an adult and children’s division.
After the race the attendees had the costume, licking and trick contests, with booths set up around the event for dogs and humans to walk around and see.
The booths advertised pet services, humane society awareness and local businesses including Mad 4 My Dog, a positive dog solutions company and various veterinary hospitals around the Monroe County area.
Many of the booths had fundraising teams, including College Mall Veterinary Hospital. The hospital won the Top Dog trophy for highest fundraising team.
Kimberly Goy, event and communications coordinator for the MCHA team, said the event has been going on for nearly 20 years, but the 5K was added a few years ago.
“So one of the reasons we do it is to raise funds,” Goy said. “But also because the event funds go directly to programs we do at the humane association.”
She said the event is a huge factor in advertising and raising awareness for the association as well.
She said they had a large amount of celebrity appeal this year, including Pam Thrash from B97 radio and Lil Bub, a celebrity cat in the Bloomington community.
She said they were especially excited to have Lil Bub as the grand marshall for the Family Fun Parade at the end of Barktoberfest.
“She’s a great supporter of ours,” Goy said. “She does a lot of fundraising for us as well.”
The parade was led by Lil Bub as the cat and her “dude,” as Mike Bridavsky is known as in the community, walked in front of the parade to end Barktoberfest.
Dogs and their owners mingled with each other before and after the parade, showing off their costumes and interacting with each other.
“It’s a great way to provide community awareness for the humane association,” Goy said.
