Yes, you read that right. WooFstock. As in, woof woof, what your doggy says to you when he needs to go out, or sees someone at your door, or hears the front gate close, or you sneeze, or….
Anyway, this isn’t about my dog’s frequent and annoying habit of barking at the air, it’s about a fantastic, free, dog-friendly event sponsored by MarrVelous Pet Rescues & Adoptions. The location? Well, this is Florida after all, and all fabulous events here take place ocean-front, and Woofstock was no exception. Beautiful Founder’s Park in Islamorada, FL played host to the thousands of furry friends and the people who obsess over them.
Every dog you could imagine was represented at Woofstock: big Great Danes, tiny Chihuahuas, new hybrid types like my unique German Sheagle, marvelous mixes of all kinds, and even a fluffy white guy who was tie-dyed pink, blue, and green in true hippie form. Speaking of tie dye, there certainly was plenty of it. From the vendors to the staff, bright colorful fabric abounded, keeping the theme of the day consistent.
The adjacent dog park served to shed some energy off the excited pups, but all animals were leashed and well-behaved as they explored the many booths. Treats and lunch for dogs and humans alike were for sale at reasonable prices. Local restaurants offering fresh seafood added spice to the usual street food type fare. But by far, the most popular and exciting areas were the doggy dock diving and lure racing. For a meager $10, your little angel could race around the track chasing a stuffed animal or fly through the air and into the pool after his favorite toy. It’s a competition so make a note of your time and distance! Ours was 10.4 seconds, heck yeah!
Plenty of scents for doggy noses and sweet tunes for human eardrums polished up the day perfectly. A local band of teenagers brought ska style funk and fun loving fans who danced hard right up front. Juxtaposed thereafter was the middle aged group of rockers whose drummer crooned 70s ballads and 90s rock anthems to which everyone sings along.
Keys Woofstock was a well-organized event that was fun for the entire family. Next year we’ll be back, and I’ll be sure to get the word out in advance so everyone can enjoy it. If you would like to support Keys Woofstock, please follow the below link to make a donation to the Marr-Velous Pet Rescues & Adoptions of the Florida Keys.
http://www.marrvelouspetrescues.org/donations.html
