McKINNEY, Texas (Feb. 9, 2023) – The City of McKinney will host a dedication ceremony during the annual Krewe of Barkus dog parade and festival to unveil the Benji Love statue in Historic Downtown McKinney that commemorates the upcoming 50th anniversary of the movie Benji. Downtown McKinney served as the primary outdoor filming location for the movie.

The event will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, on the Krewe of Barkus stage near Dr. Glenn Mitchell Park, 300 W. Louisiana St., following the Mardi Gras dog parade.

The original Benji film was written, produced, and directed by Joe Camp and opened in 1974. The film grossed $45 million on a budget of $500,000, and its theme song received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

The statue was crafted by nationally recognized artist and sculptor Susan Norris, and funded by the Daisy Riddle Family and the McKinney Arts Commission. For more information, visit VisitMcKinney.com/Benji.