Pima County, AZ – Cats and Dogs and Reptiles, Oh My! On Sunday, March 8, 2026, companion animals of all types and sizes will follow the yellow brick road at the Tucson Subaru Pets of Pima Parade and Friends of PACC Festival – all in support of homeless and vulnerable pets in our community. This is the 5th anniversary of the Parade, which was founded by Friends of Pima Animal Care Center to raise vital funding for lifesaving programs at Pima Animal Care Center (PACC). The event brings together people and pets of all types, including dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, pocket pets, and even the occasional chicken, goat, or pig. Additionally, there are traditional parade elements such as bands, floats, entertainers, costumed characters, classic cars, and more. Bringing all these fun elements together makes the Pets of Pima Parade one of the most unique events in the nation and the largest companion animal event in Southern Arizona.
“The Parade defies explanation,” said Friends of PACC CEO, Torre Chisholm. “Everyone is flabbergasted the first time they experience it,” he continued, “You have to see it to believe it.”
As part of the 5th anniversary celebration, the parade is adding annual themes, and the inaugural theme will be the Wizard of Paws: There’s No Place Like Home. The magical theme will be present throughout the event including the HSL Properties ‘If I only had a home’ Adoption Event and Tucson Federal Credit Union Yellow Brick Road.
Through its first four years, the Pets of Pima Parade has netted over $400,000 to help homeless animals in Pima County. Over the past two years, the event has invited other local animal nonprofits to participate in raising money for their organizations. Working together, the Parade will help more animals whether they are at PACC or other animal shelters and rescues across Pima County.
The Parade takes place from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., followed by the Friends of PACC Festival along 7th Street until 2:00 p.m. The festival features dozens of vendors and fun activities for people and pets alike, such as the Adoption Event, Festival Videoboard, Soul Dog Adventure Course, food trucks, and flash tattoos by Spark Project Collective.
Registration is now open! Kids 17 & under can register for free with their families, making the Parade a fun outing for the whole family, furry babies and all. Parade participants are asked to raise or donate $50+ to join the procession, with all funds supporting homeless and vulnerable pets. Local businesses are also invited to show their love of pets by hosting a parade team, joining other companies and organizations that participate each year in this highly visible, community-wide celebration of pets.
Register for the parade and find full event details, including the parade map, at www.petsofpimaparade.com.
“The Parade is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your pets,” added Chisholm, “while also helping animals who aren’t as fortunate to have a loving family…yet.”
FOX11 and CW18 return to televise the Parade, bringing the pageantry to homes far beyond the parade route. The broadcast will also be streamed live on Friends of PACC’s Facebook page, while the TV rebroadcasts are slated for March 14, 10:00 a.m. on CW18, March 15, 3:30 p.m. on FOX11, March 21, 10:00 a.m. on CW18, and March 22, 4:00 p.m. on FOX11 (subject to change). FOX11’s Carsyn Currier and Allie Potter will be commenting on all the Parade’s highlights.
The Parade and Festival are produced by Friends of PACC and made possible by support from Tucson Subaru, Central Pet, Raising Cane’s, HSL Properties, Geico, TEP, A Loyal Companion, One Hour AC & Heating, Fetch Pet Insurance, University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, Tucson Federal Credit Union, Rio Nuevo, Nature Med, Better Business Bureau, Janet Altschuler Attorney at Law, FOX11/CW18, Spark Project Collective & Four of Wands, iHeartMedia, Tucson Media Partners, Corbett’s, Tucson Dog Magazine, Fourth Avenue Merchants Association, Republic Services, and Tucson Comic-Con.
