If a couple of friends of yours got together and started dating, loved it, eventually shacked up and kept going until everybody just expected to see one where the other one was, and they were still together after five years, wouldn’t it be cause for a little celebration or a party? They’d be solid. A regular institution. Now take that concept and extrapolate to think of an in-town yearly event as that young couple, going through the first few dips and summits, and finally reaching that half-decade mark.

It’s the fifth annual summertime dog bash, Martinis for Mutts, at the Regency Hotel and Spa in the heart of the Old Port (20 Milk St) on Wednesday, August 23 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This cocktail-and-hors-d’oeuvre fundraiser benefits the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, at the price of $35 per admission, which includes entry for your furry friend. Go to https://arlgp.org/martinis-for-mutts/ to access the ticket link.