The Humane Society of Pocahontas County offers festival-goers two opportunities for excitement and prizes during the Autumn Harvest Festival in Marlinton on September 29.

The first event is the third annual Strut Your Mutt Fun Dog Show, held at noon on the City National Bank Parking Lot. Your dog doesn't have to be a Westminster Kennel Club purebred, it doesn't even have to be very well-behaved to enter!

Classes are designed to show off talent in fun areas, and owners can also team up with their pet in several fun classes, like Owner/Pet lookalike, and Best Vocal Performance - by the dog, but owners can provide musical accompaniment. Other classes include Best Trick, Most Mysterious Heritage, Best Tail Wagging, Most Original Costume and Most (and Least) Obedient. New this year is the Clothesline Game, where owners dress their dogs in togs provided at one clothesline, run to another clothesline, undress the dog, then hang the garments on the line, all while being timed. Judges this year include Denise Campbell, West Virginia House of Delegates, and Karen Bordonaro, founder of the Northwestern Alabama Sheltie Rescue.

First place winners get ribbons and prizes and second through fourth place receive ribbons. The People's Choice class is determined by audience participation, and all first place winners participate for the grand prize basket, donated by Southern States.

Registration starts at 11 a.m. at the event site. Entry fee is $10 for any or all classes, and includes a free T-shirt. Please note that all animals must be current on vaccinations and be leashed, for the safety of all the animals and humans involved.

Just as the coals begin to cool at the RoadKill Cook-off, the cry of "Release the Ducks!" will be heard and the third annual HSPC Rubber Ducky Race will take place on the Greenbrier River at the bridge. A flotilla of 1,000 rubber duckies will be released to float downstream, with the fastest duck to the finish line garnering the winning ticket holder $1,000. More than 20 other prizes, ranging from spa services and jewelry to gift certificates of all kinds and overnight stays at local B&Bs will be given out to top finishing duck owners.

Tickets will be available the day of the festival at the HSPC booth located in front of the Greenbrier Veterinary office on Eighth Street, at the Strut Your Mutt Dog Show and in the crowd, sold by HSPC volunteers. They're $5 each; $25 for a family of six duckies; $50 for a flock of 12; or $100 for an armada of 25 duckies.