On Friday at 6:30 p.m., residents will gather at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Renaissance Parkway — with leashed canines in tow — for “Critical Mutts.” If it sounds similar to “Critical Mass,” the monthly cycling event where velocipede lovers take to the streets en masse, it’s because it is.

Friday’s gathering will be a moment for SoNo residents to make their case for an off-leash dog park in the area. Drinks and a dog-friendly deck at Midtown Tavern will be enjoyed after the event.