Puppy survives horrid ordeal downtown (new photos)

It's okay, Scratch.

The sight of hundreds of Saultites wearing matching shirts and funny hats makes us want to gnaw our leash too!

But this is the Canada Day weekend and all fashion crimes involving red and white apparel must be forgiven, no matter how flagrant or terrifying.

Scratch was part of a ginormous crowd showing off its proud Canadian roots and wishing Canada a happy 139th birthday yesterday at the Roberta Bondar tent pavilion.

In addition to puppy-traumatizing red-and-white clothing (see photos 1 through 7 in the image gallery below), other cool Saultbies came sporting Canadian-flag stick-on tattoos (photo 8) or had their faces painted as part of the festivities (photos 9 through 11).

And some fine folks came out simply to look good for the camera (gallery photos 12 - 15) or to enjoy the celebrations, the sunshine, and the entertainment (16 - 21).

Entertainment highlights under the big tent included Comedy in Action – Canadian juggling champion, Déjà Vous, a local acoustic trio, the 46th Royal Canadian Sea Corps Cadets, (photo 20) and Constable Lyndon Slewidge (photo 22), national anthem singer for the Ottawa Senators.