Town of Granby's 9th Annual D.O.G.G.S Daze of August

The Town of Granby’s dog park volunteers are looking for retail and service vendors to participate in their 9th Annual D.O.G.G.S. Daze of August dog park fundraising event from 12:00PM to 4:30PM on Sunday, August 25, 2013 at Salmon Brook Park.  For a $50 in-kind donation, any business owner can reserve a tent site and feature their company or services at the event.  Non-profit groups are invited to participate for free.  In exchange for their participation, all vendors will receive free advertising throughout the year with a link to their website or email address on the dog park’s website at www.granbydogpark.org.  The proceeds from this annual fundraising event benefits Granby’s off-leash dog park located in Salmon Brook Park.

As in year’s past, admission and parking at this year’s event is free.  There’ll be food, music and entertainment, as well as fun canine activities and off-leash play.  Highlighting the day will be the OFF-LEASH CANINE SWIMS in Salmon Brook Pond where, for a small donation, dogs will be allowed to run on the beach and swim in the completely enclosed Salmon Brook Pond on this one special day.  There will be four different swim times throughout the day starting at 12:15pm and swim passes will be sold at the Canine Swim Tent which, because of the new construction at the park, will be located at the double gates at the back of the pond.

The Granby D.O.G.G.S. Park opened to the public in November, 2005 – with                 the official dedication in April, 2006 - and has become very popular with local and out of town residents in the last eight years.  It was the first public off-leash dog park to be opened in the Farmington Valley and has become the benchmark for other Connecticut and Massachusetts towns seeking assistance in establishing their own off-leash parks.  The park is open to the public all year long and there is no admission or membership fee to use the off-leash area.  The dog park’s annual expenses average around $4,500 – including dog waste bags and new playground grade mulch each year.  The money to cover these expenses is raised solely through private donations and their annual D.O.G.G.S. Daze of August fundraising event.  Since 2005, D.O.G.G.S. is the only volunteer group authorized by the Town of Granby’s Parks Department to manage and maintain the park.

D.O.G.G.S. also needs volunteers to assist them in the planning and organization of the event as well as volunteers to help out at Salmon Brook Park on that Sunday from 10:30am to 6:00pm.  Anyone interested in getting involved the planning of the event should contact D.O.G.G.S. through their website now.  Meeting notices are posted on their website as well as their FaceBook page listed under Granby DOGGS Park.  On event day, there are always lots of interesting assignments available and anyone over the age of 16 can volunteer for one or more of the many 2-hour shifts.  Sign up today down at the dog park or go online at the park’s website to find out how you can help.

If you’re interested in participating in this year’s event - whether as a volunteer, a retail/service vendor or a non-profit organization - send an email to DOGGS at granby-ct_dogpark@cox.net or call Patt Juliano at 860-653-6909 for a vendor application.  The application should be submitted prior to Monday, August 20, 2013 in order for the business/organization to be listed on printed event directories and event advertising at the park.  Applications received after August 2oth will still receive web advertising benefits, however, on-site advertising will be limited due to time constraints.