Contestants will be divided into “age” groups from puppy to oldest; and will be judged in three areas: Swimsuit/Team Spirit, Talent, and Formalwear.

The first category gives canine contestants a choice of showing off their Swimsuit or beach attire or showing their Team Spirit be it high school, college or pro.

The Talent portion has been subtitled “Stupid Pet Tricks”. Judges will be scoring primarily on originality and audience appeal. Pets do not have to possess great talent … ingenuity, creativity and imagination have been cited as the key criteria.

Formalwear reflects the creative “Dress for Success” of both the pet and the handler.

Pooch Pageant Director Debara Tinnerello emphasized that creative use of popcorn and the 2008 Festival theme, “The Big Pop Goes South of the Border”, for both the pooches and their escorts will garner extra points in judging.

An information session has been set for Wednesday, August 6, 6:30 p.m., in the meeting room on the 2nd floor of the Marion Public Library. Those interested are encouraged to attend to get a detailed review of the categories, as well as receive suggestions to make the Pooch Pageant a success for both the handler and their pet.

This initial gathering is for humans only, however, pets should not be brought to the informational meeting.

The early bird deadline for registering is Tuesday, August 12, with a fee of $20 per canine contestant. The final deadline is Tuesday, August 19, with a $25 fee. Pre-registered contestants should check-in beginning at 9:00 a.m. the day of the event behind the stage.

There will be no pageant entries accepted the day of the event.

There will also be a photogenic pooch competition, and contestants may enter one or both events. Fee is $5 if contestant is also a part of the pageant; a $10 fee is only participating in the photogenic portion. Application deadlines are the same for the photogenic as with the pageant. However, photos should not be attached to the application form, but brought to the stage area at 9:00 on Saturday morning, September 6.

All canine contestants must have current licenses and must be up-to-date on all shots.

For additional information, Tinnerello may be reached at 740.802.3980 or via e-mail at TinnNotes@hotmail.com listing “Pooch Pageant” in the subject line. Applications may also be downloaded from www.popcornfestival.com.