For twenty years the West Suburban Humane Society has celebrated all things dog-related at their annual Barkapalooza, a half-day family-friendly fest for dogs and their people. This year, Barkapalooza will take place on Sunday, September 29, 2013, from 10am to 2pm, at the Lisle Community Park located at 1825 Short Street in Lisle, Illinois. This extremely dog-friendly event allows pet owners, prospective pet adopters and all-around pet lovers to raise money for homeless pets through a Dog Walkathon. Participants are encouraged to collect pledges for the walk, and all proceeds will support the West Suburban Humane Society, as this is their core annual fundraiser.
Each year Barkapalooza continues to grow, as seen in the video montage from previous dog-filled Barkapaloozas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlLYEzvPk94&feature=colike
Visitors to Barkapalooza will enjoy a food, fun, music, and even receive a free goody bag for their dog, rain or shine, and parking is free. The adult registration fee on or prior to September 20 is $15, and it will be raised to $20 thereafter. Children 12 and under are free. Walkers with $100 or more in collected pledges will have their registration fee waived and walk for free. Participants may set up fundraising websites by logging on to www.firstgiving.com/wshs
Animal lovers may also explore the Pet Expo, where over twenty-five pet-focused vendors such as the K9 Cookie Company, The Happy Dog Barkery, K9 Fit Club, Mark Pastor Photography, Belle Aire Kennels and Fabien's Paw Station and mor0065 will be featured along with breed specific rescue groups. Owners may also have pets micro chipped for a discounted rate of only $35. A blessing for the animals will be given at 10am to kickoff the event, and the Frisbee Sky Dog Team will also do a demonstration. For the kids, there will be clowns, face painting and balloon sculptures, all free of charge, along with a "Kids and Kindness Zone" and a pup scavenger hunt, too.
Make a family-fun day of it at the 20th Annual Barkapalooza. For more information, please visit to http://www.barkapalooza.org/
Schedule of Events: 9:30 Early Registration10:00 Blessing for the Animals
10:15 Let the Walk begin!
10:30 B-Noz the Clown: Face painting, balloon sculpture and games
10:30 Agility Junkies Demonstration
11:30 Dog Scouts of America Doggy Olympics
2:00 Raffle winner announced
About the West Suburban Humane Society
Founded in 1972 as a lost and found referral service, the volunteer based West Suburban Humane Society, located at 1901 West Ogden Avenue in Downers Grove, Illinois, is dedicated to operating an animal shelter for the purpose of finding safe, permanent, compatible homes through the adoption of domestic dogs and cats. Servicing the six counties of DuPage, Will, Cook, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry, the WSHS believes in educating the community on humane and responsible dog and cat care as a means of ending the unnecessary euthanasia of adoptable companion animals, as well as controlling pet overpopulation by spaying and neutering all animals in their care and encouraging pet owners to do the same. The WSHS works for animal advocacy, care and education through fundraising. For more information about the West Suburban Humane Society or to donate, please call 630-960-9600 or visit www.wshs-dg.org.
