Recently voted ‘Best Pet Day Out in the UK’ in the Animal Star Awards, dog festival Dogstival is back for 2024. Taking place on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June, the two-day event also returns to their most successful venue to date, Burley Park in the heart of the dog-friendly New Forest.

This year, Dogstival plans to lead the pack as having the most ‘have a go’ activities than any other doggy festival in the UK, and will be crammed with all the quirky fun, features, food and more than has 10,000 dogs zooming back year after year.

Some of the highlights include Barkour – Dogstival’s giant canine approved adventure playground and in a nod to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, Dogstival’s sporting activity will be served with a twist with leader boards and a daily ‘Paw-lympic’ ceremony for each category’s highest achievers.The Dogfuriendly Muddy Paws Tavern will serve dog beer and treats, over fun activities such as dog bingo and the Big Pup Quiz, as well as hosting Dan the Hat Circus Skills & Comedy Show. Dogstival will also invite pet owners to polish up their knowledge and learn something new from the world of canine health and wellbeing at the Canine MOT Centre stage.

Naturo natural pet food returns as headline sponsor, with the Naturo Main Arena being the focal point for Dogstival’s dazzling displays from Little Nippers & Terriers Racing and the Paws For Thought Display Team. Bringing a further Olympic twist to the entertainment will be working dogs from the military, police, search and rescue battling it out in the ultimate challenge of scent work and agility.

In addition to activities, talks and fun entertainment, Dogstival will offer the best in dog treats, food and drinks, catering to owners with a wealth of locally sourced food from gourmet vendors. More than 120 stands are also expected offering an array of products and services for hound and human needs.

A dog festival with a conscience, Dogstival will ensure that the fun is paid-forward too, by helping showcase the work and raise funds for charities such as Pets As Therapy and Dogs Trust. They will also be managing their carbon pawprint, improving on last year’s efforts to recycle 67.5% of the event waste and on-boarding sustainable practices that apply to both them as event organisers and their various exhibitors and vendors.

Dogstival Co-Founder Richard Nowell says: “This will be our sixth Dogstival and winning the Best Pet Day Out at the Animal Star Awards, along with returning to our spiritual home of Burley Park has given us a great reason to celebrate and make this our most exciting, action-packed event to date. Every year we add new canine-approved entertainment and cram more activities for dogs to try and enjoy.”

Commenting on joining the Dogstival pack, Eva Mooney, Marketing Manager, Naturo natural pet food says: “We are absolutely delighted to be joining Dogstival for the second year running. Dogstival is our favourite event of the year, and we can’t wait to meet all the wonderful pups, pet owners and vendors at this year’s event. We are back and bigger than ever with exciting games and prizes to be won, along with spectacular displays and competitions at the Naturo Main Arena.”

Dogstival 2024 takes place on 1st and 2nd June 2023 a Burley Park, Burley, Hampshire, BH24 4BS. For more information, visit Dogstival.co.uk and follow @dogstival on social. Any brands or businesses wishing to be involved in Dogstival 2024 should contact info@dogstival.co.uk.