Several San Jose families gathered with their dogs at William Street Park, about seven blocks east of San Jose State, for a weekend serotonin boost at the largest dog festival in the U.S. on Saturday.
Some dogs could be seen ambling around with their families in hotdog costumes and sunglasses, while other pups were trotting around, sniffing butts and making new friends.
Richard McMasters, a civil engineer and SJSU alumnus, was a festival newcomer alongside his maltipoo, Isabella.
“It’s a chance for [Isabella] to try something different and for me, as her owner, to see what kind of services and merchandising are available,” McMasters said during the festival. “I saw some doggy sunglasses [and] I’m debating if I should spring for it for her.”
The annual Bark in the Park festival, which welcomes more than 15,000 dog lovers and 3,900 dogs each year, made a comeback after closing down for three years during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our goals are to raise awareness about the resources that are out there for dogs and animals in general,” said Annie Hermes, SJSU alumna and festival coordinator. “Also [another] big goal is to have a strong neighborhood event.”
The festival was hosted by Naglee Park Campus Community Association, which is a nonprofit public benefit corporation organized in 1972 to promote neighborhood spirit and improve resident quality of life, according to its website.
This year marks the 24th Bark in the Park event and the 27th year of the event since its inception in 1995.
Hermes said that despite the event's success, she was initially concerned that the event wouldn’t make a comeback this year in light of some medical hindrances.
“I know there was some hesitation [because] . . . at the time, there was the dog flu that was going around.” Hermes said. “We were like ‘maybe coronavirus would subside and this dog flu would really explode,’ but we decided it’s so important for this neighborhood [and] also for the organizations that this event supports.”
Dog flu (also known as canine influenza,) causes your dog to cough, have a runny nose, become lethargic, have a decrease in appetite and can cause secondary bacterial infections leading to more severe illnesses according to the CDC’s webpage.
Nevertheless, the event drew in many dog lovers both with and without their canine buddies as well as several local organizations including the City of San Jose Animal Care Center, an animal shelter.
Anthony Segura, an Animal Care Center staff member, set up a stall with his team members, providing free microchipping services and seeking potential pet adopters.
“Right now [the center] has limited services so our main thing is to get adopters or fosters because we are really full at the shelter,” Segura said during the festival. “We’ve also done over 25 microchips today.”
Visitors and their furry companions also took part in activities ranging from a look-alike contest and costume competition to training demonstrations and safety lessons.
The Santa Clara County Search and Rescue team, a nonprofit organization, recruited prospective enlistees and brought its search-and-rescue dogs that demonstrated their skills.
Search-dog Rick and his handler Curt Palm, a county Search and Rescue team officer, were at this year’s event as part of the organization’s public relations outreach.
“The Search and Rescue team is always looking for volunteers so this is a good place to talk to people . . . if they are interested,” Palm said. “They can contact us and learn what it takes to join the team either as a dog handler or as a different member [and] we get people who later on follow up and want to train their dog.”
Bark in the Park is celebrated annually every third Saturday of each September and is a must-visit for dog lovers and dogs alike.
