RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond has a new celebrity with four legs, a fluffy white coat and a growing fanbase.
Marshmallow, a Samoyed, has been named Richmond's Official Dog of 804 Day and will serve as the city's newest ambassador for the community festival this weekend.
The fluffy white Samoyed earned the title after winning a community-wide contest hosted by Style Weekly, 804 Day, The City of Richmond and Shockoe Records. Dog owners across Richmond showcased what made their pets worthy of being the city's top dog.
"I just couldn't believe it. It's been a whirlwind week," said Leah Hopper, Marshmallow's owner.
Marshmallow has already established herself as a neighborhood star, bringing people together throughout Richmond.
"People jump out of their cars to go say hi to her, and kind of makes me jealous, because no one jumps out of the car to say hi to me, so what the heck?" said Trevor Hopper, Marshmallow's other owner.
The friendly canine is known for her social nature and ability to connect with people across the city.
"She's a friendly dog, just kind of bringing people together, and just bringing a smile to everybody's face of all different ages and types of people and backgrounds," Leah said.
Marshmallow particularly enjoys interacting with the geese in Byrd Park, helping lead runs out of Carytown's Lucky Road Run Shop, and participating in the SPCA Dog Jog.
"She did trip me one year as we were running race into the finish line. But you know, I'm not holding that against her," Trevor said.
Her contest win came with a portrait session, which her owners say perfectly captures her charm and energy.
"She kind of fell into that pretty easily. She loves the spotlight, loves the camera," Trevor said.
This Saturday, Marshmallow will take center stage at the 804 Day festival in Shockoe Bottom.
"She's definitely excited to play around on Saturday with everybody," Trevor said.
The festival, which celebrates Richmond's local pride, community and music, runs from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m.
"It's really fun," Trevor said. "I think it's a friendly city for all sort of events that happen for runners or walkers or dogs."
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