The weather was perfect and the streets were full of smiling faces for Troy University’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Even Dottie Davis, a 7 year-old rat terrier, came to see the parade.

Dottie and her owner, Deb Davis, go to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade every year.

“We come to the parade every year, and Dottie always dresses up for the occasion,” Davis said. “Dottie doesn’t like to cover her beautiful spots, so she always wears her special St. Patrick’s Day kerchief. She loves watching the parade and seeing all of the people. She’s a true Troy Trojan.”

In addition to the residents of Pike County, University Avenue was also filled with prospective students for Spring Preview Day.

Jacob Dinwiddie, a senior from Chelsea, Ala., said that his heart was set on attending Troy University.

“I love the campus, and everyone is very nice. The Sound of the South is amazing, and it’s been fun to hear them at the parade,” Dinwiddie said. “I really like the feel of everything, and the entire atmosphere is a lot of fun.”

Krystle Doty, a senior from Northside Methodist Academy in Dothan, said she couldn’t wait to become a Troy Trojan in the fall.

“This is a great school, and I can’t wait to get here in the fall. I’m so excited. I’m thinking about rushing, or maybe joining the hip-hop dance or rodeo team,” Doty said. “I can’t wait to be a part of this college and show my school spirit at football games.”

Meg Smith and Ryan Hayden, both broadcast journalism majors at the University, gave tours to prospective students.

“It was a very successful preview, we have had more students that ever to come,” Smith said. “This has been a great day to have a preview because the students get to see what Troy is really all about.”

Hayden said that the reason Spring Preview Day attendance was so high was that the University had extended an invitation to preview the university to all high school students.

“This is the first year that Troy has extended the invitation to high school freshman through seniors. I think it’s been very successful,” Hayden said. “This is a great way to get our foot in the door and put Troy at the forefront of high school students’ minds. Troy did an excellent job planning the preview day with all of the events going on today.”

The high school students were able to see the majority of the sororities and fraternities walk in the parade, and then they were able to visit the sororities and fraternities respective tents.

Deborah Lindsey, a parent from Opelika, came with her daughter to Preview Day and to see the parade.

“If I could go back to college myself and do it all over, Troy University would be the college that I would go to,” Lindsey said. “It’s so refreshing to go to a university where you aren’t just a number, but where people know who you are.”

Click here for pictures from the parade.