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While Halloween Main-ia brought out the ghosts and ghouls to downtown Winchester Saturday evening, the 2nd Annual Legacy Grove Park Howl-o-Ween Festival threw the spooky season to the area’s four-legged friends.

The festival, which occurred in the morning, was intended to celebrate the local dog community.

Park staff explained the festival’s origins.

“We knew that we needed to do something for the dog park because we have a big dog park community, and we had not done anything for them,” said Deborah Jackson, the executive director of Legacy Greenscapes. “We are the only dog park in our community, so we decided we would throw a Halloween festival and dog costume contest.”

The festival featured numerous changes from the debut event, including divisions.

Competing dogs were divided into Small, Medium and Large Dog divisions.

In each parade, there were two winners for the Most Creative and the Best Group Costume.

Each of the six award winners was eligible for the best-in-show prize.

“Best-in-show gets a fantastic prize. They get a beautiful glass dog biscuit container that is carved and engraved; it is gorgeous,” Jackson said. “Lucky Dog Cafe, which has pictures of dogs everywhere, our best-in-show will have their picture taken and will have it up for the next year.”

This year’s best-in-show winner was Baylee, who came to the contest dressed as an American Airlines pilot, complete with plane and owner dressed as a flight attendant.

The following are the division winners:

• Small Dog Most Creative – Gus – Jurassic Park dinosaur; Small Dog Best Group – Porky, Penny and baby River – Three Pugs in a Pod

• Medium Dog Most Creative – Maya – Clown trio; Medium Dog Best Group – Penny, Dixie, Josie and Shila – Little Red Riding Hood, Friends and Big Bad Wolf

• Large Dog Most Creative – Pierre – Southwest Airline Plane and Pilot; Large Dog Best Group – Sugar and Atlas – Lion, Princess and Friends

Another difference from last year was the presence of vendors and plenty were on hand at the festival, including Big Bentley Pet Supply, the Bluegrass Bully Rescue and A Diamond in the Ruff.

Erika Pike of Lexington’s Hound and Horse Bakery was in attendance to promote her line of dog-friendly baked goods.

“The dog recipe is a peanut butter, oat and honey cookie,” Pike said.

The bakery offers custom orders, which is something that Pike believes separates her goods from the competition.

“There are a lot of dog bakeries, but there are not many that do decorating,” she said.

The Clark County Animal Shelter “crashed” the party with a pair of cats and had a booth with information about all its adoptable pets.

Adreanna Wills, the shelter’s director, said it is currently at full capacity of potential pets looking for a home.

“We have a great group of animals,” Wills said. “We have some nice, young purebred dogs, and we have some mixed breeds that are waiting for a family who will give them a chance.”

All of the shelter’s adoptable pets are spayed/neutered and microchipped, and since the shelter is full, all pets are available at a special $25 price.

Of course, it was a fun day for the dogs and their owners.

Winchester resident Heather Wills brought her Aussiedoodle “astronaut” Sadie, and both were having a blast early in the festivities.

“I love it!” Wills said about the event. “It is a great day for it.”

Tara McGuire dressed up her three-year-old labradoodle, Maya, as “Puppywise the Clown,” an homage to Pennywise from the “It” film franchise.

Maya’s costume was homemade.

“I had to get the needle and thread out for this one,” McGuire said. “It is always fun making costumes.”

McGuire was also thankful for the park staff for putting on the event.

“I love them doing stuff like this. It is so much fun…It brings communities together,” she said.