In a town where dogs share the trails with hikers and bikers, a festival dedicated entirely to man’s best friend seems like a natural fit.
That’s what Jenn Lewis, chair of the Home Builders Association’s community service committee, thought when she first organized the Bark City Festival four years ago.
The doggone fun returns to Willow Creek Park on Saturday, bringing together pet owners, local businesses, nonprofit organizations and animal welfare groups for a day of activities, demonstrations and community fundraising.
Lewis said the event has steadily evolved from its beginnings as a small fundraiser, and it’s now hosted by the Park City Area Home Builders Association, Basin Recreation and Premier Pet Lodge.
The festival began with a simple question: How could the Home Builders Association expand its community impact beyond its signature Showcase of Homes event?
“The Showcase of Homes committee has been successful for a really long time,” Lewis said. “But as an advocate for community service, I wanted to put ourselves out there in the community based off of what we could do for other local nonprofits.”
While the annual home tour highlights luxury residences, Lewis wanted a project that directly benefited charitable organizations and brought together a broader cross-section of the community.
“Park City is full of dogs, right?” Lewis said. “And I love dogs, and everybody loves dogs. We were kind of doing a round table discussion, and we were like, what if we did a dog festival?”
As a nod to their group as builders, that first festival centered on a dog house building competition, with Home Builders Association members constructing elaborate miniature homes that were auctioned off to raise money for local causes.
Four years later, the event looks a little different, but has the same goal: to give back to the community. Proceeds help support nonprofit and charitable efforts throughout the area, with funds distributed to a variety of causes.
“We’ve kept the funds so that we can continue to give back into the community,” Lewis said. “Whether it be buying coffee for the nurses, the essential workers at the hospital, or serving food for the homeless in Salt Lake or donating books to the second graders. We keep giving it back into the community because that’s what is important to me.”
What started with roughly 10 vendors and about 200 attendees now attracts around 40 vendors and hundreds of visitors, Lewis said, and she estimates attendance approached 600 people last year.
“It’s been nice watching it grow,” she said.
Visitors this year can expect a packed schedule from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with activities for people and pets. The festival will feature live music, food vendors, face painting and balloon art. The Willow Creek Dog Park, of course, will be open with its agility course and popular pond.
The event also includes a Dirty Dog 5K Fun Run from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., which uses Willow Creek Park’s existing trail system. Lewis said that was one of the perks of merging her festival with Basin Recreation’s former Bark in the Park event. The $28 cost of race entry is one way the organizers fundraise for the free event and other giving opportunities.
One of the day’s biggest draws is expected to be the Summit County K-9 demonstration, from 2 to 3 that afternoon. The presentation showcases working dogs and their handlers while giving attendees a behind-the-scenes look at canine training.
A dedicated children’s area will offer face painting, games and activities throughout the day, Lewis said.
Beyond the entertainment, the festival serves as a gathering place for many of the organizations involved in animal welfare across northern Utah. Groups such as Nuzzles & Co, Fetch Cares and Utah Basset Rescue regularly participate, often bringing adoptable dogs and educational resources.
The event also welcomes some less expected animal ambassadors. Representatives from Avian Sanctuary and Protection have attended in past years with rescued birds.
“Even though that’s the craziest combination, people think, why would you bring birds to a dog event?” Lewis said. “It seems to work.”
Local builders, real estate professionals, health and wellness providers and other community organizations are expected to participate, reflecting the festival’s broader community focus, Lewis said.
Dogs are welcome throughout the festival, though they must remain on leash while wandering the vendor booths. The adjacent dog park and pond will continue to serve as designated off-leash areas.
For Lewis, the event’s popularity speaks to something deeply embedded in Park City’s identity.
“Who doesn’t have a dog in Park City?” she said. “We are amongst other wildlife, nature. We’ve accepted that as Park City locals. We know what comes with the territory of living here … and a dog comes with that; that is a part of our nature.”
It’s an ideology that, as a dog owner and lover herself, Lewis has come to love.
“I grew up in Ogden, and I had never seen so many dogs when I first got here. I was shocked,” she said. “I’ve been here for 22 years, and I can say that I don’t know a single person that doesn’t have a dog. It’s just part of our DNA.”
That connection feels particularly meaningful this year. Lewis recently lost Roscoe, her blue heeler mix and longtime companion.
“It’s devastating. They’re part of your family and your lifestyle and your decisions,” she said. “I still have one dog, and it’s hard. We’re both grieving still.”
Planning this dog festival while grieving has been emotional, she said, and Saturday might be hard for her, but it has also reinforced why the event matters.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Lewis said. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
For more information, and to register for the 5K run, visit barkcityfestival.com.