PAWS de Tutu, a dog competition and parade

Diablo Ballet and its Teen Board present their first annual PAWS de Tutu event, June 18 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Lafayette Reservoir. The dog costume competition and parade, benefitting Diablo Ballet’s PEEK Outreach programs, will feature guest judges Renel Brooks-Moon - Public Address Announcer for the San Francisco Giants, Pam Kessler - Publisher of Walnut Creek Magazine, and Scott Ostler - Sports Columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle. Charly Kayle of the “Andrew & Charly” Morning Show on 96.5 KOIT Radio will be the guest emcee.

Participants are invited to dress up their dogs and enter the dog costume “ComPAWtition” and win some amazing prizes including a Grand Prize: $500 VISA Gift Card and a $250 Gift Basket from Pet Food Express; Second Prize: A WHISTLE dog GPS tracker and a $250 Gift Basket from Pet Food Express, and Third Prize: $250 gift card for Consignitcouture. If you don’t have a dog or don’t want to dress your dog up, participants can join in the “PAWrade” walk around the reservoir, watch the costume competition and enjoy the vendors, snacks and fun.

All proceeds from PAWS de Tutu benefit Diablo Ballet’s PEEK Program (Performing Arts Education & Enrichment for Kids), the only arts education program of its kind offered by a professional dance company in the Bay Area. PEEK provides in-school movement curriculum and free dance performances to students and families in under-served areas who have few opportunities to participate in the arts. In 2015, Diablo Ballet extended the program to provide arts education to teenagers incarcerated within the Contra Costa County juvenile justice system.

Anyone interested in participating, should register online at www.diabloballet.org as participation is limited. Registration fees are $30.00 for adults and $20.oo for youth 17 and under. Every registered participant receives a goodie bag with sponsor coupons, snacks and a t-shirt.