Dogstival (New Forest)

2021 edition of Dogstival, the festival for dogs, will be taking place on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th June 2021, in Burley Park, New Forest.

The first four-legged festival off the starting blocks this summer, Dogstival is set to be a brilliant and deserved celebration for furry friends, after seemingly endless months of eat, dog walk, sleep, repeat.

Glastonbury with the bark-factor, Dogstival 2021 will take place Saturday 5^th and Sunday 6^th June in the gorgeous surroundings of Burley Park in the New Forest, and promises a weekend dedicated to a dog’s enjoyment, fun, taste buds and more. And for all the lockdown pooches, it’s the perfect opportunity to get out there and start ‘petworking’ with their fellow dog-kind.

Just some of the things to expect at this epic canine celebration:

• BARKOUR! New for 2021, Dogstival gives Parkour a little twist to create an adventure playground that will put dogs and owners through their paces, at whatever speed and challenge they choose
• Pup participation activities including canicross (cross country running with dogs), flyball, agility and fun scent demo challenges, as well as the giant K9 dog diving pool those who prefer their fun in water. There’ll also be fun canine IQ test, to reveal exactly ‘how smart is your dog?’
• A live canine cooking stage will focus on canine nutrition and have lips smacking and tongues drooling
• This Morning’s Vet Dr Scott Miller will lead the pack on the Dog House Stage, with talks and demonstrations on keeping a furry friend in tip top health
• Insight and tips from the Dog House Behaviour Stage, which this year will have a big focus on puppies and first time dog owners, as a nod to all dogs that have arrived during lockdown. Hosted by dog training and behaviourist Natalie Light, The Behaviourist Lounge will offer a more intimate and personalised insight into common behaviour issues, along with tips on potential fixes
• Pop-up Vet and Physio Drop-In Centres will also be positioned throughout the showground, so owners have the opportunity of one-to-one feedback for their pet
• Dogstival will bring together five different scurries, masterclass displays and a ‘Working Test’ demonstration for crowd entertainment in the Gundog Village, in homage to New Forest being  William The Conqueror’s old hunting ground
• Dogstival’s Main Arena is set to be as big a draw as ever, with demonstrations from acclaimed gundog expert Sam Thatcher, Little Nippers and Lurchers & Hawk racing. It will also feature thrilling displays from Hampshire Fire & Rescue ‘Arson Task Force’ Dog Team, a flyball tournament with leading teams from across the south taking part, as well as fun quizzes and an old-fashioned sports day where owners can compete with their dogs to win prizes
• For general amusement, shopping and keeping tummies happy, there’ll also be live music, more than 140 independent stalls selling every doggy delicacy or bit of kit imaginable and locally sourced food and drink, catering for all tastes or dietary requirements
• As ever, Dogstival will be packed with epic photo props and opportunities, to capture the day on camera and share via social, so guests are encouraged to come groomed/dressed to impress!

Paying forward the fun, a visit to Dogstival will support a range of charities including The Dogs Trust, Service Dogs UK, Pets As Therapy and Support Dogs For Epilepsy & Autism, with £5 entry to the Fun Dog Show and any donations via Dogstival’s free show programme, split equally between the causes.

With a range of restrictions and safety measures put in place, Dogstival was one of the few live events permitted to take place in 2020. 17^th May is the key date, which will permit large gatherings of up to 4,000 people outside in a managed space and over the coming months, Dogstival’s organisers will monitor government guidelines and work closely with the local authorities to ensure an event that is safe and compliant. Burley Park offers acres of space to allow easy social distancing and extra hygiene measures such as multiple hand sanitiser stations throughout and on-site cleaning teams will be in place throughout the event.

Dogstival takes place on 5^th & 6^th June 2021 at Burley Park, New Forest For more information and tickets, visit Dogstival.co.uk and follow their socials @dogstival. Tickets are priced £13.90 adults, £8 children 6 years old plus. Concessions available.

Description by the organisers