The Best Places to Sit, Stay + Play with Your Pooch

Auburn’s Petpalooza is a Monster of an Event; Perfect for Families and Animal Lovers Alike

You’ll find thousands of wagging tails and even roller-skating parrots, wallabies and pygmy goats at Auburn’s annual Petpalooza festival scheduled for Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Game Farm Park.

This pet lover’s haven for you and your four-legged family member or other furry friend is held at Game Farm Park in Auburn, 3030 R Street SE.

The free event will feature live entertainment on the Tractor Supply Company’s stage that will include, among others, Reptile Isle and Mud Bay’s Northwest Pet Contest. Two live bands will be playing the perfect tunes to enjoy, while sipping a cold beverage from the Downtown Auburn Cooperative’s Beer & Wine Garden, which is adjacent to the stage. Petpalooza also includes pony rides, an agility area, Seattle FlyDogs demonstrations, and a variety of vendors offering low-cost pet services, animal adoptions, samples, information, and a huge selection of animal-related products.

Returning to Petpalooza is the widely popular All-Alaskan Racing Pigs. This famous racing team features the fastest and funniest athletes to serve up entertainment anywhere! Flat-track racing and hurdling are their specialties, but a good gag is always on the menu. Sourdough Jack and Soapy Smith have been cooking up fun for many years. Don’t miss the five shows offered at Petpalooza!

Auburn’s Petpalooza doesn’t forget about making kids happy (their parents too, as these activities are FREE!). This year’s festival will showcase a 15’ x 50’ no-barrier petting zoo, brought to you by Coastal Farm and Ranch. Once inside the enclosure, all the animals roam freely with the public. The zoo includes wallabies, goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits and more. Children can also enjoy animal-related face painting, compliments of the Auburn Youth Council, FREE inflatable rides and ArtRageous hands-on art projects. Don’t forget to check-out the entertainment schedule – kids will love pig races, reptile shows and high-flyin’ dogs, to name a few! In partnership with CityDog Magazine, be sure to enter your dog for the chance to be Petpalooza’s 2023 Poster Dog! Simply visit the CityDog booth to register on the day of the event.

Registrations are currently being accepted for the Dog Trot Fun Run, a family-oriented fun run/walk that takes place just prior to Petpalooza at 9:30 a.m. Participants may choose between the 3K or the 5K routes. The course is flat, easy and enjoyable for all ages and ability levels. The chip-timed race gives participants the most accurate finish times. Awards will be distributed to the top participant in six age groups. Child (8 and under); Tween (9-12 years); Teen (13-19); Adult I (20-35); Adult II (36-54) and Senior (55+). The early registration fee is $20 per person and includes an event t-shirt, full-color race bib and a finisher’s medal. Registrations after March 31 are $25 per person and event day registration is $30 per person. Convenient on-line registration is offered at auburnwa.gov/petpalooza.

Come hungry, as Petpalooza has almost every food option you can think of from hamburgers and hot dogs to kettle corn, ice cream, gyros, Fisher Scones, pizza and more. This year’s festival will also offer a Beer & Wine Garden, located conveniently near the entertainment stage, so you can enjoy some great animal shows or fabulous live music while enjoying a refreshing beverage.

There will be plenty of activities to keep both humans and animals entertained at Auburn’s Petpalooza festival. Petpalooza is sponsored by Guardian Roofing, Tractor Supply Company and Coastal Farm and Ranch. Media support courtesy of CityDog Magazine, the Auburn Reporter and Pet Connection Magazine. Complete event information can be found at auburnwa.gov/petpalooza. Find Auburn’s Petpalooza on Facebook here. For more information, please call Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation at 253-931-3043.

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About the Author

Brandie Ahlgren is founder and editor of CityDog Magazine. She, and her team of dog-loving editors, dig up the best places for you to sit, stay and play with your four-legged friends. Brandie, 12-year-old boxer Thya and Mexican foster failure Pancho, reside in West Seattle and can often be found hanging out at Westcrest Dog Park.

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