Daniel Island goes to the dogs

Calling all pups, pooches, and pals! Grab your humans and get ready for Daniel Island’s Fourth Annual Bark in the Park festival.

 

River Landing Drive’s Waterfront Park will transform into a canine carnival on Saturday, Nov. 2, beginning at 10 a.m.

 

This free event, hosted by The Daniel Island News, invites local pups and their families to enjoy a day filled with fun, food, and activities, all while supporting the Berkeley Animal Center.

 

 

The paper’s sssociate publisher, Patrick Villegas said this year will be bigger and better than ever.

 

“Last year’s crowd was phenomenal, and we absolutely anticipate a bigger crowd this year,” Villegas said. “With us starting on the first weekend of November, we hope to really get a good crowd of folks enjoying the fall weather, gearing up for the holidays.”

 

A tail-waggin’ good time

The day kicks off with a lineup of entertainment, including DJ Seth Brown from More Than Music and students from the Daniel Island Music Academy singing popular rock and pop tunes. If you enjoy the farmers market vibe, food and four-legged friends, you won’t want to miss out. 

 

Put your cockapoo in a costume! This year’s puppy paradise will include doggie contests, with categories like best-dressed dog, a dog trick showcase, and the dog-owner look-alike competition. 

 

“With Bark in the Park kicking off just a couple days after Halloween, it’s a perfect time for dog owners to continue the costume fun and dress up like their dog in our pet-owner look-alike contest,” Villegas said, reminiscing on a dog owner’s memorable Cruella de Ville costume at last year’s event.

 

One of the main attractions will be the annual K-9 demonstration, featuring the skill and discipline of police dogs and their handlers. 

 

“It’s a marvel how these trainers and these dogs really interact to help us on a day-to-day basis,” Villegas said. “Kids will really enjoy the demonstration that we have this year.”

 

Local yoga instructors Amanda Hardwick and Bella Rybak will lead the Doggie Yoga session on the lawn, which has become a crowd favorite for its calming effect on both dogs and their owners. 

 

“Doggie Yoga was a fun and unique experience,” Twisted Yoga instructor Hardwick said about last year’s Bark in the Park yoga session. “The yoga poses were for the people, but the dogs could sense their energy. As the owners calmed down, the dogs did too. During savasana, the last pose of the session, every dog was sitting calmly by their owners!”

 

Numerous pet vendors from across Charleston will be in attendance, offering everything from dog grooming to fashionable pet accessories. Michael’s Barkery, a Bark in the Park regular, will provide nail clipping services for dogs, along with a variety of treats and merchandise. 

 

“The Bark in the Park is always an awesome day!” said Karen Patrohay, owner of Michael’s Barkery. “We will be there with our bagged treats, lots of merchandise ready for Christmas, and our discounted nail trims. We will also have our preorder signup sheet for our very popular Pups-Giving meals. We look forward to enjoying the day with everyone and their pups!”

 

Local grub will be available throughout the event, with vendors like Nautical Bowls offering fresh fruit and protein bowls for a perfect fall morning, and Mazyck’s Grille, a Charleston favorite serving up Southern comfort food including fried shrimp, crab cakes, and battered fish. 

 

Additional vendors include Edisto Gold Honey, Lucia’s Premium Pet, and Pavlodoh Pure Biscuit Dough – offering plant-based dog treats full of veggies for your hungry furry friends. 

 

Supporting Berkeley Animal Center

Bark in the Park isn’t just about fun and frolic; it’s about giving back. 

 

For the fourth year in a row, the event will support beneficiary Berkeley Animal Center, a local shelter currently facing a state of emergency due to maximum capacity.

 

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and potentially take home adoptable puppies and adult dogs, learn about fostering and volunteering, and contribute by bringing items from the shelter’s wish list (bit.ly/BerkAnimalWishList) or making a monetary donation. 

 

Berkeley Animal Center director Heather McDowell expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to bring visibility to the shelter’s animals. 

 

“We are extremely honored to receive the spotlight yet again this year as the event’s beneficiary,” she said. “Our need for adoptions is great. We are at max capacity due to strays and owner surrenders and recently issued a moratorium on animal intakes and owner surrenders. We have a large number of cats, kittens, puppies, and dogs that need loving homes.

 

 “Bark in the Park will be another perfect opportunity to spread the word about our shelter needs and showcase our adoptable animals and to receive some additional funding to cover the costs of animal care, including spay and neuter surgeries, food, and toys.”

 

The adoption showcase will feature dogs hoping to find their “fur-ever” homes from both the Berkeley Animal Center and Southern Tails for Precious Paws. All animals will be up-to-date on vaccines, microchipped, and spayed or neutered, ensuring that adopters take home a healthy and ready-to-go furry friend. 

 

For those unable to adopt, the shelter also encourages fostering or volunteering, with programs like “Doggie-Day Out,” where participants can take a dog on an outing for a few hours.

 

Sponsorships and local partnerships

The event is made possible thanks to the Daniel Island Community Fund, which has been a presenting sponsor since the event’s inception. 

 

Danielle Stix, associate community manager of the Daniel Island Property Owners’ Association, said the Fund “enjoys supporting local events for nonprofit organizations that not only benefit the community but the organization itself. The Bark in the Park event supports the Berkeley County Animal Center, which is our local shelter. They do so much beneficial work in our community, and we like to give back any way we can.”

 

Local businesses have also rallied to support the event, including the Daniel Island Animal Hospital as a gold sponsor and various pet service vendors, including H.O.P.E. Acres Horse Rescue, a new addition this year.

 

With activities for every member of the family and a chance to make a difference in a rescue dog’s life, Villegas invites all locals and their dogs to join in on the free festivities.

 

“You really can’t beat spending a beautiful Saturday morning at one of the most scenic waterfronts in Charleston,” Villegas said. “It’s a chance to put down the phone, leash up the pup, and relax with family and friends on what really amounts to Daniel Island’s backyard dog party.”

 

In case it’s raining cats and dogs on Nov. 2, the festival will be rescheduled for Sunday, Nov. 3, starting at noon.

 

Saturday, November 2 | 10 a.m - 2 p.m. | Daniel Island Waterfront Park