Thousands of dogs and their parents as well dog lovers came to the popular Dogstival in the south of England this past weekend. Think Glastonbury, but for dogs. The two-day festival for dogs and dog lovers, located in Burley Park, in the New Forest, brought dogs of all sizes, shapes and breeds. The park itself included a massive swimming pool for dogs to jump and play in, an agility course, fun dogs shows and activities, competitions, special guest speakers, live music, local food and drinks and lots of independent stalls with treats in hand for each dog. The event began in 2019 and returned last year in a smaller form due to the pandemic. However, the Bournemouth Echo reports that this past weekend saw 4,500 visitors a day for the two-day event. Co-founder of the sold-out event, Domine Nowell, told the Echo, “It’s absolutely brilliant to see so many people out and about with their beloved dogs after what has been a dreadful year. We have lots of space for all the dogs on leads, the sun is shining and it’s been a year in the planning, we have an action-packed festival, all about having a go and having a great day out with your dog.” Nowell continued, “Dogs have really helped us during lockdown, they’ve kept us fit making us go on walks, they’ve barked during Zoom calls, cuddled us when we’ve felt rubbish so what better way to treat them back?”
There was plenty of entertainment and activities for dogs and dog lovers, as well as for those with two legs. Check out our photo coverage below of the two-day event.
