ALL SOULS PROCESSION

I would like to thank www.wooddogcrate.com for making this post possible.


Last night I attended our annual local Tucson event, the local All Souls Procession. It is a way for those still living to remember and celebrate the lives of those that have passed. It is a unique event; a mix of revered processional, street party, and artistic production all wrapped up in one. Many of the participants carry photos of people they are walking for; people they have lost. In previous years, our sign included photos of my grandmother, uncle, and my sister's grandmother-in-law, among others.

This year, however, I decided rather than participate, as I have done in past years, I would watch and enjoy. I did end up walking in the procession with my sister at one point and helping my other sister out at one of the booths at another point. But for the most part, it was just me and my camera enjoying the event. And enjoy it I did, I found a spot on the second level of a parking garage and had a bird's-eye view of the mass of people walking by. The processional is so long, that, as the beginning; two lone musicians followed by the urn and its attendants, is crossing into the lot where the finale is held, the end of the processional has just left the starting point. The route is about a mile and a half in length.

Now I know you are wondering what in the world something like the All Souls Processional has to do with a dog blog. And here is the answer to your posed question. There were a bunch of dogs there. Not only with bystanders on the sidewalks - but actually in the parade. I guess since this is the first year I've just watched, it is the first year I noticed the dogs.

I, personally, can't imagine bringing one of my dogs to the event. Way to much noise, drums, people (in face paint), floats, other dogs (apparently). They would have a freak out and a melt down all at once, lock up and decline to proceed one step further.

I was so impressed with the casual and relaxed attitude of the dogs that were there had to have to be in such a large group of people (it is estimated that as many as 35,000 participated or watched - that's a third of Tucson). I did get a few photos of the dogs during the event. Unfortunately, not many, there were way too many people moving about and it was dark.

I did manage to get photos of the dog float, both before the Processional and from my above-the-event-vantage point as it went cruising by. From what I heard, the float was for pit bulls lost and a reminder that the breed is unjustly villainized. (I could be way off there)

One of the aspects of the Procession, for the humans, is to dress up, sugar skull face paint, gowns, etc. What amazed me is that the owners painted the dogs as well. I am sitting here, imagining me trying to paint my dogs. None of the variations end up with my success. Most end up with a half painted greyhound reclining on the couch while I clean paint off me and the rest of the house.


*for more photos of the event, you can head on over to my other blog Backcountry Photography. I'll be posting photos all week. (I took a lot of photos, not that you're the least bit surprised)