Downers Grove Park District to host Dog Daze Sept. 9
The Downers Grove Park District will host its second annual Dog Daze event where dog owners can pack up their pooch and plan for a day of free, fun activities. The event will be noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Fishel Park, 1036 Grove St.
Presented by the Community Bank of Downers Grove, Dog Daze will offer fun for pups and their people!
Peruse the many vendor booths offering demos, giveaways and merchandise for purchase. Listen to live acoustic music with Mike and Traci from Good Clean Fun, purchase tasty treats for humans or pups, and enjoy cold adult beverages.
Food vendors will include Dope Sandwich Food Truck and Chick-fil-A. Adults ages 21 or older can purchase beer, wine or coolers for $6 each.
Dogs can cool off in doggie pools, romp through sprinklers and chase bubbles in the fenced off-leash splash zone sponsored by the Eric Hamilton Team at Guaranteed Rate. A noncompetitive agility course will be open for free play from noon to 2 p.m. and feature obedience tools and other training demos, sponsored by Enjoy Your Dog Inc.
The Peanut Butter Competition area will have individual stations where dogs will compete in peanut butter- licking competitions. Short dogs will compete at 12:30 p.m., thick dogs at 1:30 p.m., tall dogs at 2:30 p.m., and older dogs at 3:30 p.m. The winner from each group will receive a prize.
The West Suburban Humane Society will be on-site with adoptable dogs, applications, and information regarding how the community can help other furry friends. During the event, visitors can support the Humane Society by donating much-needed operational supplies; a list of items is available on their website at www.wshs-dg.org.
In addition, tips collected from beverage sales during Dog Daze will be donated to the organization.
Dawn Hartman, the park district's director of marketing & community engagement, is pleased to see the event grow in 2023.
"The Downers Grove Park District appreciates the generous support of local business sponsors and partners who have helped to expand the event in 2023. Families and their dogs are in for a special treat this year with nearly 20 vendors on-site," Hartman said.
Dog Daze is presented by Community Bank of Downers Grove and sponsored by Enjoy Your Dog Professional Dog Training, The Eric Hamilton Team at Guaranteed Rate, Advocate Health Care, Bentley's Pet Stuff, Blue Light Rain HVAC, Bredwell, Jared Brooks of Thrivent, K9 Karving, The Kim Moustis Group of Keller Williams Experience, Lacey Creek Supportive Living, True Balance Karate, and Walkin N' Rollin Pet Services. Additional partners include Happy Dog Barkery, Dogtopia of Downers Grove, Live Like Roo, Trader Joe's and Kiwanis Club of Downers Grove.
During the event, all dogs should remain on leash while not visiting the fenced areas. Dogs should be up-to-date on vaccinations.
Pet owners are responsible for cleaning up after their dog and aggressive animals will not be permitted to participate. For more information and the schedule of activities for Dog Daze, visit dgparks.org.
The Downers Grove Park District enriches our community through natural area preservation and exceptional recreation, parks, and facilities that inspire memorable experiences. With almost 600 acres of parks and facilities, there are thousands of opportunities for individuals of all ages and interests to grow, play, imagine and explore.