MARYSVILLE — The eighth annual Marysville Poochapalooza is seeking pet-related vendors and business sponsors for Snohomish County’s biggest summertime outdoor dog event celebrating pet lovers and their four-legged best friends.
This year’s event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, at Strawberry Fields Athletic Park, located at 6100 152nd St. NE. Poochapalooza is sponsored by the Marysville Dog Owners Group.
“The ‘Pooch’ is a fun, romping day out for pet owners, a chance to see dogs in action, and a variety of activities that highlight pooches at their best and brightest,” Poochapalooza founder and M-DOG President Leslie Buell said. “If dogs were event planners, they’d do Poochapalooza.”
Poochapalooza donations, event sponsorships and vendor fee proceeds support park improvements at Marysville’s Strawberry Fields for Rover Off-Leash Park, as well as ongoing stewardship at the park as provided by M-DOG, on behalf of the Marysville Parks and Recreation Department, in addition to contributing toward costs for making Poochapalooza bigger and better for participants.
This year’s Poochapalooza promises to be another spectacular event, according to Buell, and M-DOG wants to offer businesses the opportunity to get involved. There are many ways to partner with M-DOG to promote your business, from simply donating products to becoming an event sponsor, or meeting face-to-face with all the dogs, pet lovers and hoopla with a booth of your own at the event.
“Poochapalooza has grown each year to become the existing event that it is due greatly to sponsorship and donations,” Buell said. “We couldn’t do it without corporate help.”
Poochapalooza highlights include Flyball exhibitions, a flying disc local championship, dancing dogs, an agility course, Best in Show contests — including dog pie-eating, best kisser, wackiest pet trick and best voice — the “Running of the Wieners” dachshund races, the new Doggie Dessert Dash and obstacle course, and more than four dozen vendors. The Fashions & Rescues Runway Show features adoptable rescue dogs from six rescue agencies, modeling the latest fashions from Seattle-based doggie wear designers, fusing a little urban chic with the farm fields of Marysville.
“Our goal always is to find lovable homes for the rescue dogs,” Buell said. “Our shows these past two years have helped find good homes and families for two dozen dogs, working with participating rescue groups at the event.”
Poochapooza annually draws between 3,200 to 4,000 visitors, and just as many dogs, according to Buell.
Public admission and parking are free. Donations are greatly welcomed, however, with a minimum $5 donation receiving a goodie-filled “wag bag” for the first 500 visitors.
Vendor forms, booth prices and general event information are available on the Poochapalooza website at http://poochapalooza.org. For more information, contact Buell at 425-268-5285 or labuell@frontier.com.
