Barks and brews at Colorado Pet Fest
Courtesy of Colorado Pet Fest
There’s a party Saturday, and all of your furry friends are invited.
Sound far-fetched? Sniff it out yourself. Put your Netflix show on “paws” and head down to the Norris Penrose Indoor Event Center, where they’ll be serving craft beer to two-legged attendees and a variety of tasty treats to their four-legged companions from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Colorado Pet Fest was the brainchild of Tapia Advertising’s Phillip Tapia and FOX21 News meteorologist Maddie Kirker. Her golden retriever, Chester the Weather Dog, is the official mascot for the event.
One $5 ticket provides access to all the activities, plus a free bandana and a goody bag with treats and coupons. One pet gets in for free per person.
Wag N’ Wash will provide a pet pool party with small pools and sprinklers. Furry Friends Inc. will sell dog ice cream, and dozens of other vendors will sell leashes, pet food, bow ties and more.
Pub Dog Colorado is hosting the official after-party, where you can present your ticket for one free pint of Chester the Weather Dog’s Golden IPA.
The IPA, crafted by Dueces Wild Brewery, will be available for the first time at Colorado Pet Fest. It will cost $5, with $3 from each sale at Pub Dog Colorado, Dueces Wild Brewery or Colorado Pet Fest going to build a fence at Bear Creek Dog Park.
Kirker said the park holds a special place in her heart, as it’s where she found friends when she moved here two years ago.
“ It was very welcoming, and it did a lot for Chester and I to get going in Colorado. I appreciated the size of the park and the people who went there. To know that they’re struggling to get a new fence … I wanted to give back to the place that gave me a wonderful experience when I moved here.”
Bear Creek Dog Park is El Paso County’s most-frequented park, with more than 100,000 visitors a year. The fence will cost $100,000, and $25,000 already has been donated, Tapia said.
All pets are welcome at Colorado Pet Fest, which is designed to be a fun bonding experience for pets and their owners. Most important, Tapia said, “We hope to raise a lot of money for Bear Creek Dog Park. That is the biggest goal.”





