LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — Longview is considering making the squirrel the city’s official mascot as the furry creatures are already at the center of an annual summer festival.

The Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/1RWBJa0 ) that the City Council on Thursday will consider a proposal to make Longview’s Squirrel Fest’s red seersucker-clad squirrel an official part of the city. The mascot would only be a title.

The proposal has been in the works since the Squirrel Fest first began in 2011, led by a group known as the Sandbaggers.

The summer festival attracts more visitors every year, and Sandbaggers President Pat Kubin estimated as many as 7,500 people attended last year.

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Information from: The Daily News, http://www.tdn.com

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