Are you ready for Mardi Gras?

This is one of those rare years when Mardi Gras Day doesn’t pounce on us the moment we’ve recovered from Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Mardi Gras this year is March 8, which means there’s ample time to take in lots of area parades.

One of the city’s most unusual parades is the Mystic Krewe of Mutts, a parade of local dogs and their proudly creative owners. Celebrating its 10th year, the canine carnival attracts up to 10,000 people. (Read more about it below).

Here’s a wrap-up of some of the area’s most popular parades, including a few that are only a short drive from Baton Rouge.

Krewe of Jupiter & Juno Mardi Gras Parade

Saturday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. The popular downtown nighttime Krewe also includes some all-male and all-female floats.

kreweofjupiter.com

CAAWS Mystic Krewe of Mutts Mardi Gras Dog Parade

Sunday, Feb. 20, at 1:30 p.m. See more details below.

caaws.org

Krewe of Artemis Mardi Gras Parade

Friday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. This year’s theme is “Artemis Remembers Her Childhood.”

kreweofartemis.net

Krewe Mystique de la Capitale

Saturday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m. Baton Rouge’s oldest parading Krewe celebrates 34 years.

krewemystique.com

Krewe of Denham Springs

Saturday, Feb. 26, at 3 p.m. This year’s theme is “Salute to Our Troops,” featuring floats and marching bands.

kreweofdenhamsprings.com

Krewe of Orion

Saturday Feb. 26, at 6:30 p.m. Following the theme “Ain’t There No More,” each float will represent a past landmark that has vanished.

kreweoforion.com

Krewe of Southdowns Mardi Gras Parade

Friday, March 4, at 7 p.m. The parade rolls through the Southdowns neighborhood off Perkins Road. It’s a popular family nighttime parade with floats, marching bands and civic groups. This year’s theme is “Fact Or Fiction?”

southdowns.org

Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade

Saturday, March 5, at noon. This year’s theme of Baton Rouge’s most popular Mardi Gras parade is “XXXPress It!”, which celebrates 30 years of naughty parading downtown and through historic Spanish Town.

spanishmardigras.com

Port Allen Krewe of ?the Good Friends ?of the Oaks

Sunday, March 6, at 1 p.m. This family-oriented parade reminds Baton Rouge they know how to party across the river, too.

westbatonrouge.net

New Roads Annual Community Center Carnival Club

Tuesday, March 8, at 11 a.m. This year marks the club’s 89th anniversary.

newroadsmardigras.org

New Roads Lions Carnival Parade

Tuesday, March 8, at 1:30 p.m. The state’s oldest Mardi Gras celebration outside New Orleans features parade participation open to the public

Mardi Gras goes to the dogs

Baton Rouge dog owners are definitely a different breed. The proof is in the parade. Since 300 area dog owners first costumed their canines for Carnival in 2000, the Mystic Krewe of Mutts has been a howling success.

With their furry friends securely leashed, owners’ creativity runs wild with themes such as Viva Paws Vegas, 2010: A Space Paw-dyssy, and this year’s Hooray for Howl-y-wood. Even more impressive are the crowds—8,000 to 10,000 ruff!-ing revelers and their families attend as spectators.

Tricks and treats at the all-day Bark in the Park festival and the parade itself throw one big bone to the city’s oldest animal rescue. In fact, the Krewe keeps Capital Area Animal Welfare Society (CAAWS) afloat by raising $14,000 annually—money that benefits the non-profit’s spay/neuter, adoption and shelter programs for dogs and even for cats.

Sunday, Feb. 20,

at 1:30 p.m.

This year’s theme is “Hooray for Howl-y-wood”

Parade Day Registration begins at 10 a.m.

Bark in the Park: 10 a.m. ?on North Boulevard between Fourth and Fifth streets.

K-9 police demonstration: 11 a.m.?Contest for best float and costume: noon.

caaws.org