Dog Days of Denton is Friday evening, June 1st, and Saturday, June 2nd in the morning and afternoon in downtown’s Quakertown Park. For festival details please go to www.dogdaysdenton.com.
Ever wonder how Dog Days of Denton got its start? Well, 19 years ago shortly after the Denton Main Street Program was getting its start in downtown, the DMSA created some of Denton’s most-loved festivals and events, one of the first was the Dog Days of Denton (formerly known as the Dog Days of Summer). The first Dog Days event was held in the true “dog days of summer” in early August on the courthouse lawn, but that didn’t last long. The event moved to June and over the years several events and contests were added to the fun. It soon became known as “Texas’ Original Festival for Pooches and their People” and was a model for communities all over the state looking to create their own fun for Fido and the family.
After 13 years on the square the festival that celebrates man’s best friend attracted everyone and their dog, outgrowing its space on the lawn (a dog’s favorite place is the grass), and it moved to Quakertown Park where it has been held since 2007. The event still holds the original pet contests showcasing Denton’s talented canines and selecting the city’s spokesdog, and it now hosts demonstrations of canine sports, dancing with the dogs and an agility course.
Thank you to those members of the Denton Main Street Association who so cleverly created this fun festival 19 years ago and gave us one more way to celebrate in downtown Denton.