With March, the First Friday event in downtown Statesboro is the Green Grits Festival, infused with the dominant color of spring two weeks before St. Patrick’s Day.

Today’s (Friday’s) event from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. features green food, green drinks and green dogs. These last will be costumed contestants in the fourth annual Paw Walk dog contest. The festival takes place on the Bulloch County Courthouse lawn and along East Main Street.

Homemade green grits, ground locally by Freeman’s Mill, will be served.

For the Paw Walk, a $5 entry fee is required for each dog that enters, with proceeds going to support the development of the Downtown Dog Park. Dogs will be judged on creativity of costumes, behavior and just for being cute. Prizes will be awarded to first through third place winners in two size categories. With several businesses that offer pet products and services, as well as restaurants and other kinds of businesses together sponsoring the event, there will be prizes for pets and their people as well, organizers said.

As always, First Friday, hosted by the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, features a variety of food vendors as well as shopping opportunities and live music.