Dog Friendly Festivals

Before you and your four-legged friend embark on your festival adventure, it's essential to know what to look for in a dog friendly event.  

Make sure the festival venue provides ample facilities for dogs, including water stations and designated toileting areas. Many festivals take place outside so you should check that there are going to be shaded areas for both yourself and your pup to sit back and get off your feet for a while. Check whether the festival requires dogs to be kept on a lead at all times or if there are designated off lead areas where your pup can roam freely. Depending on your individual pooch, you may be more drawn to festivals that don’t have strict policies but if your furry family member is worried by off lead dogs approaching them, you may want to avoid events that don’t have specific lead rules. 

Ensure that the festival has safety measures in place, such as first aid stations and security personnel, to handle any emergencies that may arise. Even if they allow dogs, not all festivals will provide first aid stations for four legged friends so you may want to consider packing a basic first aid kit for the day.  

Look for festivals that offer dog-centric activities and attractions, such as agility courses, canine competitions, and pet-friendly vendors. Some festivals will have attractions especially for your pooch so you can guarantee they have a great time. While you may not want to leave your pooch at home all day to go to a music festival that’s dog friendly, if they are going to be overwhelmed by the noise and busy environment it could still be in their best interest not to bring them along. 

Knowing what to prioritise and look for when it comes to exploring the best of the UK’s dog friendly festivals, we’ve picked out some of the most welcoming environments to take your furry friends. Every dog is an individual so be sure you’re only taking them to events that they’re going to enjoy. It should be a fun day out for the whole family, them included.  

Nestled in the scenic backdrop of Chester, Deva Fest is a family event where furry friends are embraced as part of the fun. Offering a medley of live music, delectable treats, and entertainment, this festival promises a weekend brimming with excitement for both humans and their canine companions. With designated doggy zones and tailored activities, your pup is guaranteed to revel in the festivities alongside you.  

You can relax at the comedy tent, watch some live music and even visit the funfair with your pooch in tow. Camping for the weekend will come to around £150 per adult and £55 for children but you can save by buying a family ticket instead. To attend for a single day, an adult ticket is just £50 and then you can go home to your own bed with your pooch after a long and fun day. Dogs are required to be on lead throughout the event which means you can easily manage who your pooch says hello to.  

 

Vanlife Festival is a celebration of all things campervan related. It’s not just limited to your classic motor homes but self-built ones as well. You will see commercial vans that have been made into cute accommodations, former buses, horse boxes, and almost any vehicle you can imagine. The event takes place in Shropshire where you can bring your own camper along packed with the whole family and your furry friends too. There are workshops, live music, travel talks and an exceptional marketplace. If you’re a fan of van life and have done your research, you might even recognise a few YouTubers who are experts on van living in attendance as well.  

Tickets are just £59 to make the event accessible to most people and dogs must be kept on lead to make sure everyone can enjoy and have fun safely.  

While there are plenty of festivals that allow dogs, if you really want to celebrate your fur baby, what better way than taking to a festival that is made for them instead? There are plenty of options when it comes to finding days out tailored for your furry family so you can make them the main event. 

Easily one of the biggest doggy days out of the year is the annual DogFest. It’s been going strong for a decade and only finds new ways of adding enjoying and educational activities for the whole family each year. With seven locations throughout the country on different weekends, you might not even have to travel very far to get to one because it’s like to come to you instead. With some of the biggest names in the dog industry as partners like Butchers, Burns and Dogs Trust, you can count on finding some great deals while you’re having fun with your furry family member. There are fun competitions like have a go agility and you can join other dog lovers on a 2k or 4k dog walk!  

The cost of entry for an adult is £21 and £14 for a child, all dogs enter free since it’s all about them. You can cut down on costs with a family ticket for two adults and two children for £62. The ticket gets you access to the whole festival including bite sized and fun training sessions for the family and your four-legged friend.  

Based in Derby, the annual Dog Lovers Festival calls itself the UK’s biggest dog friendly tribute festival. It mixes a love for dogs and having a great day out with your furry family member and enjoying live music. Dog Lovers Festival is a great choice if you want to go to a classic music festival with a furry twist. You can enjoy the music, have a cold pint and then venture over to some expert animal talks and leave with some newfound knowledge. As a dog loving festival, nowhere is off limits to your canine companion. There is a fun dog show and other doggy activities to enjoy before you hit the main music event.  

 

Entry starts at £20 and a camping ticket will set you back just £50. For around £30 you can get a ticket that gives you entry for the whole weekend without camping so you can really make the most out of your festival weekend.  

Woofstock is on its eighth annual festival this year, hosted at Powderham Castle, near Exeter. It’s a stunning location for a day of live music, a fun dog show, demonstrations by doggy sporting clubs, police dog handlers and lots of doggy related stalls. It’s a great environment to go with your pooch but you’re almost guaranteed to come away with some boutique harnesses and new leads that you didn’t intend on getting in the first place! Woofstock has made a warm, family friendly event to attend and experience lots of different canine-centric activities. You might be inspired to take up obedience or try your hand at flyball when you come away.  

There are a range of ticket options, from a £63 ticket to get access to the whole weekend to come and go as you please. Camping for the weekend ranged from £62 for basic camping access to upwards of £700 if you want a luxury glamping experience for you and your pooch.  

Whether your pooch just likes to venture out and stay by your side or if they enjoy a fun filled day where they get to play lots of games or win awards for being the cutest rescue, there’s a dog friendly festival for everyone.