17th Annual Woofstock!

 Woofstock Toronto: The Ultimate Pup Party You Didn’t Know You Needed

Woodbine Park, Toronto | woofstock.ca

Every early summer, Toronto goes to the dogs—literally—as Woofstock, North America’s largest dog festival, takes over Woodbine Park for a tail-wagging good time. Now in its 17th year, this is no ordinary dog walk in the park. It’s a full-blown canine carnival with fashion, fitness, fun, and fur!

And here’s the kicker: my husband and I don’t even own a dog. We're lifelong cat people! We are CAT people!😺 But the sheer buzz around Woofstock had us too curious to stay away. So we grabbed our cameras and curiosity and headed out to see what the bark was all about.

---

Wait, Which Woodbine?

Let’s get this out of the way: Woodbine Park is not the same as Woodbine Beach. Trust me, my husband insisted otherwise, and we spent 30 minutes biking in the wrong direction before realizing it. Learn from us: Woofstock happens at Queen St. East & Northern Dancer Blvd, just across from the Beaches neighbourhood. 🙃

---

A Pet-Lover’s Playground

By the time we arrived, the park was buzzing with activity. Tents were up, tails were wagging, and vendors had set up shop with everything your dog could ever want—and plenty you didn’t even know existed. Think gourmet treats, custom outfits, massage therapy, and pawdicures.

Big shoutout to Benny Bully’s—the Official Dog Treat of Woofstock—who landed in style (seriously, their tent looked like a spaceship). Their Bark 'n' Dash Lure Course was a huge hit, giving dogs the chance to run, chase, and sniff out treats like it was a barnyard-style Easter egg hunt.

---

The Shows, The Fashion, The Silliness

Even without a ticket ($20/person, dog or no dog), we hung around just long enough to witness the beginning of some of the fun—and now I kind of regret not going in. Later in the day, visitors could enjoy:

• Mr. & Ms. Canine Canada Pageant

• Best Costume Contest

• Stupid Dog Trick Show

• Dog Yoga (Yes, Doga!)

• Races like Puppy Prowl, Running of the Pugs, Weiner Dash, Rescue Run, and Frenchie Flash

• Doggy Dating: Single Mingle Mixer by Toronto Dating Hub!

Not to mention the obstacle courses that had pups sniffing out hidden treats with the intensity of truffle hunters. Too cute.

---

And for the Humans...

If your pup was living their best life, you wouldn’t be left out either. Food trucks were serving up mouthwatering eats, and for the 19+ crowd, the Woofstock Lounge was stocked with BarDog Wine, Tito’s Vodka, and Wooftinis. 

Mark Your Calendar for 2025!

So, was it worth the $20? In hindsight—absolutely. The experiences, photo ops, and entertainment make it a doggone good deal (even for cat lovers like us!).

👉 Next year, don’t just peek from outside the fence—join in the fun! Bring your dog, your camera, or just your sense of adventure. Heck, borrow a pooch for the day if you must. 🐕

📸 I snapped a few photos of the contestants strutting their stuff—stay tuned for those in my next post!

---

💬 Have you been to Woofstock or another fun pet festival? I’d love to hear about your favourite pup-tastic memories or doggie meet-cutes. Drop them in the comments below or tag me in your fur-bulous moments!

www.woofstock.ca