Mobile’s Woofstock Draws Thousands for Costumed Dogs and a Good Cause
Thousands of dogs and their owners packed downtown Mobile's Bienville Square for the 10th annual Woofstock fundraiser and costume contest.
MOBILE, Ala. — Green fur, a Santa suit and a whole lot of holiday spirit were enough to make one Mobile terrier mix the star of this year’s Woofstock, the annual downtown festival that mixes pet pageantry with fundraising for the Animal Rescue Foundation.
Max, a terrier mix belonging to Mobile resident Seanna Mongan, took first place in the event’s doggie costume contest dressed as the Grinch, complete with green dye sprayed over his fur. Mongan said she sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” while getting him ready, a callback to last year’s costume, when Max went as fitness personality Richard Simmons. “I was elated,” Mongan said of the win. “It’s been five years in the making.”
Max edged out a colorful field of competitors, including a miniature Chihuahua dressed as a self-styled “gangster pimp,” a Labrador mix decked out as a firefighter, and a family that coordinated matching “Wizard of Oz” costumes with their three dogs. The contest included separate categories for small, medium and large dogs, plus a category for owners and pets who dressed to match.
10th Annual Woofstock Draws Thousands
Held in Bienville Square in the heart of downtown Mobile, Woofstock marked its 10th year drawing an estimated 5,000 people and their dogs. The festival, which benefits the Animal Rescue Foundation, typically raises between $25,000 and $50,000 for the organization through vendor booths, donations and event proceeds.
Beyond the costume contest, this year’s Woofstock featured live music from the Florida-based cover act Super Funk Fantasy, along with informational booths from local pet-focused organizations, food vendors and a wiener dog race that has become a crowd favorite in past years.
More Costumes and Furry Friends
Mobile resident Alan Tolson brought his Siberian husky, Zeke, dressed as a yellow submarine for the occasion. “I think he’s just rocking it,” Tolson said of his dog’s costume as the two made their way through the crowded square.
For Mongan, the day was as much about her menagerie as the win itself. In addition to Max, she owns two other dogs, three cats and a rescued squirrel named Otis.
The History Behind Bienville Square
Bienville Square, where Woofstock is held, is named for Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, the French colonial leader who founded Mobile in 1702.
