Every dog will have its day, and this is it! The largest festival for dogs in North America, The Day of the Dog, returns to Main Street in Santa Monica on Sunday, October 19th, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. This free, annual festival celebrates all things canine with a day of unparalleled fun, shopping, and entertainment for the whole family. 

The Day of The Dog is a fundraiser for the Just Love Animals Society, a non-profit dedicated to animal welfare and community outreach. The festival draws more than 10,000 attendees each year. Guests can expect a bigger-than-ever lineup in 2025, with more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest products, treats, and services from leading pet brands including Primal Pet Foods, Metropaws, Earth Animal, Tilted Barn Pet Co., and more.

The Day of The Dog showcases local service providers, brings animal lovers together, supports small businesses, assists other non-profits in achieving their fundraising goals, features leading pet nutrition and care information, and, most importantly, offers a wonderful, fun-filled day for four-legged family members. 

Festival Highlights

  • Amaze-ment Park: A 100-foot pool party for dogs with live DJs.
  • Snow Day in Santa Monica: 18 tons of snow for dogs to ski, roll, or frolic in.
  • Ride the Wave: Complimentary 80-foot surf wave machine where pups can hang ten.
  • Photo Ops: From superhero-themed booths with capes and wind machines to Ruff Rider motorcycle sidecar portraits and a 360-degree video booth.
  • Food & Treats: A Puppuccino Bar featuring pumpkin spice and mushroom blends, dog brunch options, plus samples from Earth Animal, Tilted Barn, and more.
  • Dog-lebrity Guests

And of course, the races:

  • “Running of the Bulls” (Frenchies)
  • “You Did What With Your Wiener?” (Dachshunds)
  • “If Baguettes Could Run” (Corgis)
  • “Doodle Mania”
  • Fast Dog Races (all breeds welcome)

Other crowd favorites include the Snaggletooth Showcase, dog blessings, foam parties, a pie-eating contest, and the “Size Does Matter” parade, crowning the biggest, smallest, hairiest, and oldest wieners in SoCal.

The event producers, Jordan Illingworth and Leo Powell, got their first Great Dane, Floyd, more than fifteen years ago, and their lives changed forever. The former nightclub owners quickly became morning people and now focus on producing events for their four-legged partygoers. 

“With pet ownership up 40% since the pandemic and over five million dog owners in Los Angeles County alone, Santa Monica is the perfect California home for this festival,” said co-founder Leo Powell. “It’s the biggest cultural movement honoring today’s modern family.”

The Day of the Dog has grown from a street party idea into a cultural phenomenon spanning Santa Monica, San Diego, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Calgary, Victoria, and Vancouver. The event has been called “The Social Event of the Year for Dogs and Their People” by Global Television, ABC, and NBC.

This year’s event is sponsored by Earth Animal, MetroPaws, Tilted Barn Pet Co., Lucy Pet Co., Green Dog Dental, and Primal Pet Foods.

The Day of The Dog Festival will take place on two full city blocks on Main Street, Santa Monica (between Ocean Park Blvd. & Strand Ave.) - the streets will be closed. Public parking is located at Santa Monica Beach Parking Lot 5 (2725 Main Street). For more information, please visit www.thedayofthedog.com. 

Responsible pet ownership is encouraged. If your dog is not good in crowds or heat, please leave them at home for their safety.