Not quite the Dog Days Of August – We’ll settle for the Duck Days of late July

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Want ducks marching down the aisle on your big day? The best trained ducks in the country are found at The Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN where they have a Duck Parade twice a day.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0b4eR9xuPg]

From the Peabody’s Website:

“Back in 1932 Frank Schutt, General Manager of The Peabody, and a friend, Chip Barwick, returned from a weekend hunting trip to Arkansas. The men had a little too much Jack Daniel’s Tennessee sippin’ whiskey, and thought it would be funny to place some of their live duck decoys (it was legal then for hunters to use live decoys) in the beautiful Peabody fountain.

Three small English call ducks were selected as “guinea pigs,” and the reaction was nothing short of enthusiastic. Soon, five North American Mallard ducks would replace the original ducks.

In 1940, Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, offered to help with delivering the ducks to the fountain each day and taught them the now-famous Peabody Duck March. Mr. Pembroke became the Peabody Duckmaster, serving in that capacity for 50 years until his retirement in 1991.”

They also have a GORGEOUS art deco ballroom, conveniently right around the corner from the ducks’ “penthouse suite.” Rooftop Terrace And a fleet of Cinderella pumpkin carriages parked outside.  Cinderella Carriage on Beale Street

Trained birds, a beautiful, historic reception site, fairy-tale royalty modes of transportation…what more could we ask for? The Dog Days of August have a lot to live up to!