Organizers were "happily overwhelmed" by the attendance, generosity and civility of dogs and their mistresses and masters at Middleburg's second Dog Day in August celebration.

"Everyone really embraced the spirit of the day," according to Laura Clark, owner of Wylie Way, the dog emporium that joined Main Street Middleburg, and the Middleburg Business and Professional Association to sponsors and organize the event.

"We created Dog Day to bring visitors to Middleburg during a traditionally quiet month and it has grown to become an important opportunity for organizations devoted to the health and well being of dogs to introduce themselves to a large audience of animal lovers."

Unlike canine events in which the majority of vendors are selling items for a profit, Dog Day is, for the most part, a charitable event where the public can learn about and support many charities that are dedicated to the betterment of the lives of dogs.

"More than 1,200 people visited the Dog Day celebration," Laura said.

"There were hundreds of dogs of all shapes and sizes in town with their people for the day, and the crowd was a rare sight indeed."

Many leading organizations contributed to the success of the annual event.

Bendure Communications executive Diane Murphy created lots of buzz in advance of the festivities to draw the crowd and the Washington Post and Fox News were only two of the many reporters in town to cover the event.

Underwriters included Loudoun Healthcare Foundation, Middleburg Bank, Marshall National Bank and Trust, Koon's Tysons Toyota, Middleburg Printers, BB& T and Avitecture.

Volunteers from the many animal charities that staffed tents and many individuals who pitched in to ensure that the event ran smoothly and dogs stayed in the spotlight contributed immeasurably to a delightful day for adults and children.

Plans for the 2007 event include a shift in scheduling from August to September.

"We recognize the very real danger of heat-related health issues affecting people and their pets. We've been fortunate each year to escape serious problems, largely because of tents, fans and water, but we may need to schedule the event for a cooler time of the year," Laura explained.

There have also been requests for a caricature artist to draw pet pictures during the festivity and many requests were received from individuals who want to exhibit or sponsor the event.

Asked if any complaints were made by cat lovers who wonder why cats don't have a special celebration in Middleburg, Laura smiled and said, "... no."

"Cats and cat lovers know that every day of the year is 'Cat Day.' Cats are royalty, after all."