Hogspot: Woofstock

One of my favorite festivals of the year is about to start! This weekend is Woofstock, which is billed as North America's largest outdoor festival for dogs. It's a crazy weekend where dogs and their owners take over the area around the St. Lawrence Market - and every year it seems to expand further and further along Front Street.

If you have a dog, there are lots of vendors selling everything from treats to clothes to headstones, plus you can enter your dog in things like the stupid dog tricks contest, or a fashion show. Yes, they have fashion shows. No where else will you see such a concentration of dogs wearings togs. Which is one of the reasons I love Woofstock. I don't have a dog, but I love them in all their variety, and you just never know what you're going to see on this weekend. My favourite way to enjoy this festival is to score a spot on one of the many patios (not as difficult as you might think as dogs still aren't allowed on Toronto patios), order a drink, and take in the pagentry. Plus I'll probably take in one of the shows by the Purina Pro Plan Dogs Stars - what's not to love about a dog competing on an obstacle course?

A word of warning - if you don't like crowds, this isn't the event for you. Also, if you have children, especially small ones, who aren't too sure about dogs, you might want to restrict yourself to the sidelines. It's not just the sheer number of animals that will be present, but you will see some of the biggest dogs you've ever seen.