Trust me, your dog loves the outdoors as much as you do. Some dogs even more than the others! The sunlit exteriors, wide open spaces and the playfulness in the vibe are all a sure hit with the doggos.
Can you possibly think of a way to top this outdoors experience for your pooch? Hell yeah!
Throw in some eclectic dog games, tempting treats and a 100 other like spirited dogs & dog parents
And you have got yourself the purrrfect party mix!
Dog fests are a sure shot sort of a way to bond with your dog. It lets the dog parents and dogs be playful and do fun things together. I think I can even say with some certainty that it could possibly be the best date that you could ever take your pooch to.
The even better part about these Dog fests is that most of them are for awesome charitable causes like dog adoptions and awareness etc.
I have curated a list of my absolute favorite dog fests across the country and put them in an order of my preference to get you started.
The Pawtober Fest, Colorado - in its own unique spin to the popular October Fest, is a high energy & super fun dog fest. There’s a 5K fun run and walk which kickstarts at the beautiful park, America and ends at Alamo Square Park. There are vendor booths, lots of good food and local breweries serving beer samples all in keeping with the spirit of the October Fest. Now since this fest is held annually during the time of Halloween, a cute little costume competition for dogs is sort of the flavor of the season.
This fest has so much to offer to both dogs and dog parents, which makes it a personal favorite for me. And the best part is that all the proceeds go towards the Humane society (the organizers) who do some pretty amazing work with homeless animals all year round.
The Annual Doggie Art Festival held in Winter Park, Florida is the coolest art meets culture meets dog fest of our times. Every April, this fest is a big attraction for partygoers to downtown Winter park. It lets them experience all that they live by; under one roof.
There are pets, pet inspired artists, pet related vendors, adoption organizations, photographers taking live pictures of you and your pet for holiday postcards and all this with live music! Beat that? It’s a free event sponsored by two stores in Winter Park, The Doggie Door and BullFish Baldwin Park.
All the funds raised go to their charity, the Sebastian Haul Fund that helps place local retired greyhounds in their forever homes across the country.
Paws for a Cause Dog Walk Festival begins with a walk at Discovery Park, the L.L. Bean Campus in Freeport, Maine and rings right into a day full of fun activities like dog contests with cool titles, demo sessions for canine massage therapy, subsidized rabies shots for your doggos and a lot more. The coastal Humane Society of Maine intends to spread awareness about all types of animals through this walk.
If there’s a dog fest that offers something for everybody, it is the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society's Annual Dog Walk and Festival Fundraiser. Held in July every year, it handcrafts a day full of pet photographs, pet games, spa sessions for people and animals, an alumni reunion and parade for pets adopted from the society, craft sessions for kids, and goodie bags filled with treats for both two-legged as well as the four-legged creatures! If you think it can’t get any better, then wait till your free lunch is served.
It also features a 1-mile dog walk against the stunning views of northern California.
But hold your breath for my favorite part of this fest- It’s The ‘Lead Dog’ contest which is held prior to the fest, to determine which dog will lead the walk. The chosen one gets its very own photoshoot and features on the promotional material for the fest. (Please pinch me!)
And finally, for the fashion-conscious pet parent, The Annual New York Pet Fashion Show is a must do event.
It’s usually held in the second week of February at Hotel Pennsylvania in Midtown Manhattan and strings through a series of four glamorous runaway shows featuring dogs, other animals and their people in gorgeous costumes.
The tickets start at 50 dollars, but you need to book in advance. There’s fabulous food, great music and a sparkly bunch of people. And if all that isn’t reason enough for you then go for your complimentary VIP Gift bag. A portion of the evening's proceeds go towards supporting the life-saving dog and cat rescue programs of Mayor's Alliance for NYC.
Before I wrap, there is an awesome little perk (read: insight) for the adventurous pet parents right in the lap of the beautiful Nepal.
Its something that’s not to be missed if you worship your dog (quite literally!) and if you nurture the spirit to travel.
The Kukur Tihar festival in Nepal is an annual dog centric festival held in the month of November. The Kukur Tihar literally translates into ‘The Day of the Dog’. On this day Nepalese dogs, both homeless and the ones with homes are celebrated and thanked for their companionship and loyalty. They are adorned with garlands and the holy Hindu ‘Teeka’ (sacred vermillion) on their foreheads. There is special dog food and plenty of enticing treats for your four-legged friend.
Besides, everything is twice the fun because you know, it’s the breathtaking mountain peaks of Nepal. And to be there with your beloved pet for something so special would be nothing short of divine!
Obviously, I’d give it brownie points, because it’s the land of our all-natural dog chews at peaksNpaws.
I hope you make some fabulous memories with your furry friends at these fests. Do share the crazy pics you bring home.
Will be back soon with a brand-new post till then keep your comments pouring!
