ASCENSION PARISH - About 700 dogs are putting their best paw forward this weekend -- and through Tuesday -- at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center.

The annual Jambalaya Cluster in Gonzalez is actually multiple dog shows under one roof, and it draws participants from as far away as the east and west coasts.

Canine entrants compete for ribbons and bragging rights in the American Kennel Club-sanctioned event, which is free and is open to the public.

Children are welcome, though no strollers are allowed.

The first two days of the show -- which opened on Saturday -- are organized by the Baton Rouge Kennel Club. Monday and Tuesday are under the purview of the Riverside West kennel Club of New Orleans.

The event is expected to generate more than half a million dollars for the local economy, a spokesperson for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Working Group Club, one of several participant clubs, told WBRZ.

The Lamar Dixon Expo Center is located in the 9000 block of St. Landry Avenue, off I-10 exit 177.