ASHLEY TERRY
The morning may have been sweltering, but that wasnât enough to burst anyoneâs bubble during the Azle Area Chamber of Commerceâs annual Sting Fling event Sept. 12.
In keeping with the theme âBubble Bash,â Main Street was covered in bubbles â not only from bubble machines at various vendors but also from Mr. Bubbles himself, Leonardo Washington, who created larger-than-life bubbles for festivalgoers to step inside.
The event officially came to life around 9 a.m. as attendees lined up on either side of Main Street to watch the parade, led by the Azle High School Marching Green Pride and followed by classic cars and various Azle clubs and organizations.
Things also got a little ruff at Azle Memorial Library when there were many false starts during the dog-eat-dog competition known as the Wiener Dog Derby.
While these pups werenât built for speed, they put their best paw forward in the race, with Gianni, a Yorkie, taking first place overall and earning the title of Wiener Wannabe. Minnie took second place, while Noodle rounded out the top three. Dressed as Jessie and Bullseye from âToy Story,â Vanessa Webb and her pup, Canyon, wrangled the award for Best Costume.
Kelli Limbaugh, owner of Long Dog Yard Art, said she was asked to be a part of the race three years ago and hasnât looked back since.
âItâs the wiener dog race, and who does not love wiener dogs? Theyâre such a fun breed ⌠Itâs just so fun to see the dogs run and how the (owners) have these expectations, like the puppyâs really going to do well and the puppy just goes, âNope. Not doing that today,ââ Limbaugh said, with a chuckle.
After the excitement of the wiener dog race, many gearheads made their way to 404 Main Place for the classic car show, while others went inside to cool off and visit the various vendors offering goodies and merchandise for every occasion. From lobster rolls and barbecue to popcorn and funnel cakes, attendees had a variety of grub to indulge in while shopping.
To keep the kids occupied, many families took their little ones to the Kids Zone, complete with bungee jumping, slides, obstacle courses, bounce houses and face painting.
Whether youâre a car enthusiast or just canât get enough of watching dogs with little legs race, Sting Fling offers a little something for everyone â and Azle is here for it.
