Woofstock takes over the waterfront
STORY BY DANIEL FORRESTER
Barnsdale Farms celebrated another year of making dogs everywhere happy with it’s 12th annual Woofstock festival on the weekend. Over the course of two days inside North America’s largest festival for dogs, pooches got to enjoy loads of grooming, mountains of treats, racks of designer puppy and “Big Dog” fashions and hours upon hours of playtime. A total utopia, all for man’s best friend. Admission was free with a $10 parking fee.
Tail-waggers of all kinds showed up at Woodbine Park in the Waterfront District with their loving owners right behind them. Bulldogs, beagles, golden retrievers, poodles, yorkshire terriers, you name it, it was there. “We expect 100,000 to 200,000 people and their pets will come through here. Last year we saw 150,000 dogs alone. It’s an everything canine affair,” said Teanna Lindsay, show manager.
“We have the latest and greatest in canine fashion, leashes and collars, designer everything you need for dogs. From the best treats, from the best food and then we mixed it in with some activities as well. For example, we have the Mr. and Mrs. K-9 competition today, we have best costume, we have dog tricks and also a fashion show with all of the fashions that are here at Woofstock. We also have a VIP tent, which is a very important pooch tent.”
This pup filled event got off to a start on Saturday with Purina’s Pro Plan Dog Stars at 10:30 a.m. and ended with the cute and very photogenic Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund – Pawtographs, crammed with contests and prizes in-between.
“There is a lot of buzz about Woofstock on social media so we are happy to see that the word is getting out there,” said Natalia Zaslavsky, publicist for Woofstock.
Dogs of every shape, type and colour were everywhere, woofing down treats, drinking, running after lures, stealing food from their owners and just being dogs. They absolutely loved their little paradise while their owners chose from different food truck cuisines, listened to music, shopped at one of over 100 vendors throughout the park, sipped on tangy “wooftini’s” and just walked around the park with their best friend and got to know other dog owners.
“This is my first time at the Woodbine Park one. I’ve always gone to the one at the Distillery District and I love it, the dogs are having so much fun,” said Liz Santer, 62, retired.
“I just heard about this from a friend of mine like two weeks before, I didn’t think it was going to be this big. As soon as I brought my dog Millo through the front gate he went nuts just seeing all the other dogs,” said Brandon Towers, 28, construction worker.
Vendors and event coordinators yearned at the chance to bring their own pets out to the event, some even wanting to go out and get one after witnessing the fun between others and their pooches. “This is my first year here, I don’t have a dog but after being here I really want one now…like a big dog!” said Taleen Damla, 21, brand manager for Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
“I have a rhodesian ridgeback and unfortunately she can’t come to Woofstock because I’m just too busy, so she went to camp K-9 for the week,” Lindsay.
This was in my opinion the best food truck at Woofstock, Loteria Taqueria. I bought three delicious corn flour tortilla tacos for $12. Beef, chipotle chicken and shredded beef. Let me tell you, they were amazing.
If you are living in the Mississauga area and you’re looking for a closer doggy event to bring your buddy to, check out DogFest@RiverwoodPark.
