Twenty-seven dogs large and small took part in Summerfest's dog parade and games in Wiscasset Saturday, July 28.

The dogs wore numbers around their necks and marched proudly with their families around the Wiscasset Common, while Parade Judge Katharine Martin-Savage tried to keep track of the various attributes of each dog.

 It wasn’t always easy. An award for “best spots” went to a golden retriever, Buddy. He doesn’t have any spots, his owner said. So the award was switched to “blondest” and everyone was happy.

The parading dogs were from Wiscasset and elsewhere. Rocky, who won "best costume," came from Philadelphia with his family, Holly and Emily Clark. Loba and "friendliest dog" Piper came from Duxbury, Vermont, with their family, Serena and Andy Metcalf.

Deborah Morgan organized the parade she said has been going on for seven or eight years. It had almost four times the number of dogs as last year's. Fees for the parade, like everything else at First Congregational Church's Summerfest, go to area nonprofits.

The dog games that followed the parade included a hot dog dash. The dogs had to hold – but not eat – a piece of a hot dog while walking a short distance. One small dog won because it couldn’t finish the piece before reaching the finish line. Another game had dogs catching tiny treats. Frodo, an English Springer Spaniel, caught the most, 27, and won a medal. Many dogs were a bit shy performing tricks, although their owners insisted they did the tricks at home.

Summerfest also had its usual jumble sale, sales of books, jewelry, crafts, baked goods and more, kids activities such as hula hooping, making bubbles with a wand, and face painting; a silent auction of donated goods and services; and Ragtime Rascalz performing hits from the 1920s, 1930s and beyond.