Celebrating its 8th year, Barktoberfest™ is Middle Tennessee’s fastest growing pet festival, rocketing from 3,000 to 11,000 attendees in 2015 — making it the most heavily attended pet festival in the greater Nashville area! It also won 3rd place for “BEST FESTIVAL” in The Tennessean’s 2013 Toast of Music City Awards… the only pet festival to place in the category!

This year, Barktoberfest returns to the beautiful, sprawling grounds of The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, in a continued partnership with the City of Franklin Parks. This year, due to our recent growth, we are increasing free parking areas as well as parking staff to ensure a smooth entrance and exit.

This year, we are excited to introduce a new Arts + Crafts Bazaar, featuring independent vendors and their locally made, Middle Tennessee products — ranging from gourmet foods and natural body products to artwork, woodwork, jewelry and more. This area will be adjacent to the food truck parking lot.

As always, Barktoberfest will feature a fabulous variety of food trucks, a pet adoption fair featuring local rescue groups and shelters, and business and nonprofit vendor booths to browse and shop. There will also be canine agility demonstrations, kids games and activities and much more.

We’ll be announcing our musical lineup soon.

Of course, the highlight of Barktoberfest is always our Howl-O-Ween Costume Contests, where humans and pooch pals alike compete for over $5,000 in fun and fabulous prizes! Costume contests are $15 per entry per contest, and include 3 contests this year: a Kids Costume Contest (ages 3 – 12), a Dog Costume Contest and our Dog + Human Costume Combo Contest.

Don’t miss Middle Tennessee’s most fun and festive fall event! Leash up your pooch pal and bring the whole family in costume for an afternoon of fun and a chance at some great prizes!

Please visit BARKTOBERFEST for more information.