IDYLLWILD, Calif. — Max III, the golden retriever mayor of this San Jacinto Mountains town, marked his fourth birthday on Saturday with a downtown festival that drew several thousand visitors, according to the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce.

The town's honorary mayoral title has been held by a golden retriever since 2012, when the first Max was elected in a fundraising campaign for the Animal Rescue Friends of Idyllwild. The ceremonial post carries no legal authority but has become a signature draw for the unincorporated community of roughly 3,000 residents.

Saturday's celebration featured a costume parade along North Circle Drive and meet-and-greets with Max III and his canine deputies. Merchandise stalls at the event benefited local animal welfare groups, with owner and "chief of staff" Phyllis Mueller directing proceeds to the town's no-kill rescue mission.

Local businesses reported a surge in foot traffic, with cafes and gift shops along the village core citing the event as one of the strongest tourism weekends of late summer. The Chamber promotes the mayor as a symbol of Idyllwild's pet-friendly identity.

The birthday weekend caps a busy season for the town, which relies on visitor spending from Los Angeles and San Diego day-trippers ahead of the autumn slowdown.