DOGSTIVAL, the festival dedicated to four-legged fun, is back this June to show the nation’s pooches some love this summer.

Jam-packed with all things a dog loves, furry friends are sure to have the time of their life at this two-day pooch fest, which takes place on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th June at the Broadlands Estate in Romsey, Hampshire.

Dogstival’s five-star fun is ever present with guests treated to epic arena displays led the UK’s Shetland Pony Display Team and ‘have a go’ activities such as agility, scent work and flyball and fun dog shows.

If your dog is a budding agility champion, Dogstival has teamed up with UK Agility who will be hosting a regional tournament within the festival. It is open to seasoned pro’s to novices with rosettes for all.

Plus, there’s also the Barkour adventure playground and giant splash pools for water-loving dogs.

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Starting at the Dogfuriendly Muddy Paws Tavern, guests will be able to let their fur and hair down at doggy discos, dog bingo and pub quizzes throughout the weekend, before heading over to The Hound Dog Music Stage to carry on shaking their groove thing to tribute acts such as Sing Out Sisters Abba Tribute and a 30-strong ‘En Masse Pop Choir’ along with live music across the whole weekend.

The Top Dawg Show Ring is hosting Dogstival’s first-ever Doggie Sports Day, imagine eight-legged races, relay with dogs or a spot of egg and spoon – what could go wrong?

Behaviour based activity will be led by the New Forest’s Family Dog Club with a Puppy Academy and top tips for new dog owners. The weekend will also showcase Brockenhurst ‘Friendly Dog Club’ who launched 30 years ago and still going strong. Their team will be in the arena with 30 dogs and owners for a ‘canine line dancing’ extravaganza.

For something more holistic, Dogstival’s Canine MOT Centre will offer a one-stop shop for dog wellness advice and insight to help pups stay in peak condition. There’s various ‘fitness challenges’ with a 0-30mph speed test, long jump and a test of sniffing power with scent work games.

Then it's back to the Muddy Paws Tavern to work on downward dogs and practice canine Zen in Doga sessions (yoga for dogs), which will take place across two days. And for the first time ever at Dogstival, attendees will have the chance to reflect on all the dogs they have loved and lost in the touching ‘Over the Rainbow’ memory garden.

Commenting on the week’s entertainment, Dogstival Event Director Richard Nowell said: “Every year we try to reinvent the festival with new show acts, have a go activities and things to do. Dogs are so much part of the family and they give us so much joy, so creating a day out dedicated to them is the perfect way to reward them.”

“We’re delighted to welcome dog-owners from across the south coast and further afield, but we also want to promote the New Forest as a great destination to explore. We want people to join us at Dogstival and make a weekend of it, whether camping or in style with New Forest Cottages who are one of this year’s sponsors.”

As ever, Dogstival will be gift-wrapped with over 130 shopping stands catering to a dog’s tastebuds, lifestyle, fun, health and wellbeing, as well as a smorgasbord of delicious hound and human food.

Guaranteed to get tails wagging, pups will be able to tuck into tasty treats from The Four Legged Fancies bakery, snaffle a puppuccino from Pop & Bark or scoff on a mini dog pizza from the Chulli Pizza stand, flavour? Poocheroni of course.

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Meanwhile their pet parents will be able to feast on a whole host of delicious foods from New Forest and Hampshire based producers including crispy duck rotisserie, fully loaded burgers, melted cheese raclette and churros. So come hungry but make sure you are prepared to share… with your dog! For kids young and old, Dogstival will also have a vintage fun fair.

Every year the festival supports a number of charities with proceeds from the Fun Dog Show and this year welcomes The Dogs Trust with their rehoming village to help find amazing pooches their furever home.

Dogstival is also supporting a number of selected charities and causes for our 2023 event including Pets As Therapy and Guide Dogs and StreetVet.

Dogstival’s Summer of Love festival for dogs and dog-lovers takes place on 3rd and 4th June 2023 at Broadlands Park, Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 9ZD. Tickets are priced from £18 adults, 6-16yrs from £10. For more information and for tickets, visit Dogstival.co.uk and head to @dogstival on social for on-going ‘pupdates’.