More than 250 dogs and their human companions made their way across the Blue Mountain Resort field for the first ever Bark Bash Pet Festival Saturday afternoon.

Despite gray skies the canines enjoyed treats and romps in the dog-day care pen while their owners walked through the 20 booths learning about rescue opportunities from several nonprofit organizations.The resort partnered with the Animal Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley for the afternoon's event, allowing attendees to be entered into a raffle for a $100 gift card by bringing a pet food item to the festival.Throughout the afternoon Furry Tail Come True sponsored a play area for puppies and older dogs to come together and chase tennis balls while their people perused the booths for information on dogs, rescue opportunities and dog-munchies and handmade accessories.Oliver, a French bulldog rescue, acted as a mascot for the nationwide foster program offering "French kisses" at his booth for a $1 a piece."There's a woman who came out just for the Frenchie kisses," said volunteer Karl Blyth."They're good family dogs," said Blyth."They have short noses so they need air conditioning in the summer and a sweater in the winter," he said of the eight-year-old brindle dog.Blue Mountain Event Coordinator Nicole Wescoe said the idea for the festival came as a request from many mountain-goers."We have so many people who ask if they can bring their pets here, so we decided to do this," she said.The coordinator contacted many nonprofit rescue organizations around the Lehigh Valley to host informational booths and help get people signed up to foster the dogs that are available for adoption."It's just been a great day to come out and let the dogs socialize," she said."We are really happy with the turnout and we hope to have it again next year," said Wescoe.The afternoon included a raffle, a pet CPR demonstration and plenty of chances to pet different types of dog breeds."There have been a bunch of unique dog breeds," said Tattered Tails Animal Rescue Inc, volunteer Heather Davis."We got a few applications for our older dogs and puppies," she said.Tattered Tails acted as a co-sponsor for the first pet festival to raise awareness to the issue of dog adoption."Sometimes it's more difficult for the older dogs when the babies are here but there's been a lot of interest," she said.Chow Chow dog owner Laura Lobianco traveled from Bucks County to give her fluffy puppy a chance to meet other dogs."It's good weather for these types of dogs," she said of the bear-cub looking Anastasia."We are trying to get the puppy to socialize with other dogs and people," she said.Logan's Heroes, a nonprofit foster program had two mixed-Labrador puppies under its tent during the afternoon to bring awareness the program."We've had a lot of interest from people stopping by," said volunteer Ilona Binswanger.The Large Flowerheads band provided entertainment.