Day of the Dog Festival Returns To Santa Monica
- By: Ashley Joy Parker
Nightlife goes to the dogs.….
Every dog will have its day, and this is it! The largest festival for dogs in North America, The Day of the Dog, returns to Main Street in Santa Monica on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. This free, annual festival celebrates all things canine with a day of unparalleled fun, shopping, and entertainment .
The Day of The Dog is a fundraiser for the Just Love Animals Society, a non-profit organization focusing on community outreach and animal welfare. The afternoon will feature a fun-filled day of activities for all dogs, big, small, and in-between. With an attendance of more than 10,000 animal lovers and their four-legged friends at last year’s festival, The Day Of The Dog is an opportunity for dog lovers to connect with like-minded individuals, meet local and national companies, and discover the latest and greatest products from California’s leading pet exhibitors, including Earth Animal, Tavo, Tilted Barn Pet Co. and much more.
This fido-friendly day features various fun and interactive dog activities such as the Amaze-ment Park which acts as a 100-foot pool party for dogs, including music from live DJs and designated VIP areas. To beat the heat, the festival is introducing Snow Day in Santa Monica where dogs can ski or frolic in 18 tons of snow and swim and/or surf all in one day. A SoCal canine favorite is Ride the Wave, a complimentary 80-foot wave machine for dogs to try their paws in surfing.
For dogs ready for their close-up, there are various pop-up photo studios, including a superhero-themed photo booth equipped with capes, masks, and a wind machine, the Mad Dog Motorcycle Club “Ruff Riders” photo opp where pooch parents can pose on motorbikes with their furbaby in the sidecar; and a 360-degree photo booth. Various Instagram moments are throughout the grounds, including a 100-foot art installation. In the very likely case a pooch gets the munchies, there will be various dog food vendors, including brunch for dogs, Puppuccino Bar that offers pumpkin spice or mushroom blend puppuccinos, complimentary treats, and more. There are even dog-lebrity appearances, including howling lessons from Wander with Willow and the wolfpack, as well as a book signing and autographs with Henry The Liger.
And then there are the races! There’s the “Running of the Bulls” for French Bulldogs, “You Did What With Your Wiener?” Wiener Dog Race, “If Baguettes Could Run” Corgi Race, Doodle Mania, and finally; the Fast Dog race for any dog of any breed. For something more relaxing, there’s a foam party and dog blessings area that celebrate the human-canine connection.
Other activities include a “Best in Show” Snaggletooth Showcase, Dog Pie Eating Contest, Ball Pit Heaven, and Holistic Pawpup. The newest addition to the lineup is the parade of weiner dogs called “Size Does Matter” biggest to smallest, longest to shortest, and hairiest wieners will take the stage and be crowned the winner with special guest-judge, SoCal Weiner Fest.
The event producers, Jordan Illingworth and Leo Powell, got their first Great Dane, Floyd, more than fifteen years ago, and their lives changed forever. The former nightclub owners quickly became morning people and now focus on producing events for their four-legged partygoers.
“We’re the biggest cultural movement honoring today’s modern-day family,” says Powell.”With pet ownership rising by more than 40% since the pandemic and over five million dog owners in Los Angeles County alone, Santa Monica is the perfect location in California for our festival.”
The annual festival, which has expanded over the last decade to include Calgary, Victoria, Vancouver, Santa Monica, San Diego, San Francisco, and Scottsdale, aims to educate dog lovers on everything from holistic health remedies to safe and ethical dog adoptions.
What started as an idea to host a street party, exploded into a cultural phenomenon. The couple never dreamed it would impact so many people, create so many friendships and allow them to do what they love. It has been named “The Social Event of The Year for Dogs and Their People” by Global Television, ABC, and NBC. The Day of The Dog is an awesome event for all dog-lovers who want to show off their pooches.
The Day of The Dog Festival Details
When: Saturday, Sept. 7 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Main Street, Santa Monica (between Ocean Park Blvd. & Strand Ave.)
Public parking is located at Santa Monica Beach Parking Lot 5 (2725 Main Street).
For more information, please visit www.thedayofthedog.com.
