LATVIA – Latvia had its annual “March of the Blondes” to help boost the economy.

According to the AFP, the march is becoming quite an attraction in the economically-devastated Latvia.

“We have more than 500 participants registered, including a 15-member team from New Zealand, seven ladies from Finland and Italy and 32 from Lithuania,¨ Marika Gederte, head of the Latvian Association of Blondes, told the news outlet.

And on Saturday, they marched:

The event, which started in 2009 and is officially called the “Go Blonde Festival,” not only boosts the local economy, but also raises money for charity.

“We hope to raise enough to refurbish two rooms at a special unit for disabled children. We do not have a specific sum we want to raise but we hope businesses will be generous,” Gederte told the AFP.

Besides the march, which is mainly watched by men, there is also a Marilyn Monroe lookalike contest, a concert by blonde divas, and a pink fashion and accessories show.