Temperatures are starting to dip and the leaves are just beginning to change. Yes, fall is just around the corner, and with it comes a celebration of the change in seasons. Over the weekend, the city of Royal Oak, Michigan hosted one of its most popular autumnal festivals: Barktoberfest.
“We usually get between 3,000 to 5,000 people,” explained Shelly Kemp, executive director of the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce, before the event. “It’s beer, music, and dogs.”
A Long-Awaited Return
Hosted by the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce, Barktoberfest is now in its sixth year. According to their website, Barktoberfest is “centered around dogs and their parents, featuring locally-brewed beers and live music.” Unfortunately, the event was canceled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the event has returned for 2022 and received record turnouts.
The weekend featured a long list of local breweries and vendors selling everything from homebrewing supplies to bottle cap art. Meanwhile, a central stage featured 8 hours of live music on both Friday and Saturday.
But it wouldn’t be Barktoberfest without the dog-centric events people came for. Contests for pups of all ages and sizes filled the festival to the brim. Dog parents registered their canine companions in costume contests, best trick competitions, wiener dog races, and even a puppy dash!
For the first time this year, dogs could attend a dance club foam party. And for the overactive pups, the festival included a lure course with handkerchiefs on pulleys.
All for a Good Cause
However, Barktoberfest is not just fun and games. Dogs and beer may go hand-in-paw, but the weekend was also an opportunity for local rescue shelters to come out and talk to the community about adoption, fostering, as well as volunteer opportunities.
On top of that, a portion of the proceeds from the event went towards supporting two local animal advocacy groups: Oliver’s Foundation and the Detroit Dog Rescue.