Beverly is going to the dogs, at least for a week.
Beginning tomorrow, Beverly Main Streets will sponsor a weeklong Big Dog Show on Beverly Common, where 20 large dog sculptures will be installed until Sept. 9. The 8-foot-high by 10-foot-long American Dogs were created by award-winning metal sculptor Dale Rogers, and Beverly is one stop on a six-city New England tour.
"The exhibit itself is going to be unbelievable," said Gin Wallace, director of Beverly Main Streets, who added her organization has moved a smaller, 5-foot-long dog around the city all summer. "People are so enthralled with the 5-foot dog; I can't imagine what their reaction will be to the 10-foot dog."
Their collars alone are 90 inches long," she said. "I mean, these dogs are huge."
To kick off the exhibit, a Community Dog Party will take place on the common tomorrow, from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. The party will feature music, dog-related vendors, prizes and competitions open to all dogs, such as an obstacle course and a game of "musical sits," instead of musical chairs. There will be demonstrations by invited dogs, and Beverly storyteller Tony Toledo will tell "Dog Tails."
At 6:15, a parade will take place, led by Sheri Russell, a Beverly-based chiropractor, and her Newfoundland therapy dogs, Sophie and Ella. Behind the three will be 13 girls from the Beverly Panthers, an under-12 travel softball team Russell coaches, along with their dogs.
"Anytime anyone does anything with big dogs, I'm very excited about it," said Russell, whose business — The Russell Center for Chiropractic and Sports Medicine — will sponsor the parade.
"I've been in business in Beverly for 14 years, and anyone that knows me knows I have big dogs — I have Newfoundlands — so when I saw the 'Big Dog' title, I said, 'I have to be involved.' It's inevitable."
If you go
What: Big Dog Show, Sept. 3-9, with a Community Dog Party tomorrow from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Beverly Common
Cost: Free
Information: www.beverlymainstreets.org, www.dalerogersstudio.com
Community Dog Party schedule
3:30 to 7:30 p.m., music with DJs Rick Fafard and Janet Nee; dog-related vendors will be selling their wares
3:30 to 5 p.m., Obstacle Course and Musical Sits (open to all dogs); Dog Demonstrations (invited dogs)
5:30 p.m., storyteller Tony Toledo tells "Dog Tails"
6:15 p.m., Dog Parade (open to all dogs; prizes for largest dog, smallest dog, best costume, best smile, closest dog-owner look-alike
7 p.m., Introduce the winner of "Name the Dog" Contest; announce winners of dog-collar design certificates; draw winners of gift basket raffles and 5-foot dog
Note: Friendly dogs, on-leash and with current license and rabies shot tags on collars, are welcome with owners.
