Events

Record numbers visit DogFest 2016

Sara Cork Friday, 1 July 2016, 11:29Last Updated: Friday, 1 July 2016, 11:29

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DogFest 2016 attracted a record number of visitors, to two back to back weekend events. 42,929 people attended the 2016 shows, in comparison to 16,667 visitors in 2015.

The UK’s summer festival for dogs took place at Arley Hall, Cheshire on June 18-19 and Windsor Great Park on June 25-26. Sponsors and retailers accessed a highly targeted, engaged and actively purchasing audience.

The event was hosted by Channel 4’s Supervet, Professor Noel Fitzpatrick. His popular Eukanuba Supervet Live tour draws thousands of fans, dog owners and their dogs to each session.

Noel said: ‘I’ve seen DogFest grow from a handful of people in the field behind the practice to tens of thousands in Arley Hall and Windsor Great Park this year. The numbers of attendees and exhibitors have grown and I’m deeply grateful, but most of all I’m so happy that the spirit and the soul of DogFest continues to grow.

“It’s all about YOUR dog. We celebrate the love that exists between a dog and a man, woman or child, old or young – a family that shares their life with man’s best friend – and we bottle that love and spray it around the world for all animals and for each other. In this way we make the world a better place.

“I called my talk at the events a “headline of hope” because that’s what I wish for DogFest to be. For me it’s all about cherishing that love and supporting the charity I founded, The Humanimal Trust, to educate, build awareness and fund medical research that will help animals and humans affected by the same diseases so that we all win and animals get a fair deal in return for all that they give to us. That’s it. Simple but yet so important in a world of uncertainty and change. The one thing that is certain and will never change is our love for our dogs.

“We are so incredibly lucky to have them in our lives and at DogFest we give that love back with the best dog’s day out ever. I feel very lucky to be part of such a special, magical and genuinely exciting event. Sincerely thank you to everyone who came and shared the love.”

DogFest co-founder and director, Nicole Cooper of Brands Events, said: “DogFest 2016 has been phenomenal – our aim for this year was to double the event in terms of floor space and consequently, we have grown the number of exhibitors by 127 percent across both events and have taken the event to two days in each location, but our expectations for visitor numbers have been greatly surpassed.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors and exhibitors for supporting what truly has been the biggest and best DogFest yet and plans are already underway for 2017!”

To register your interest for DogFest 2017, please contact Pippa Page at Brand Events on pippap@brandevents.co.uk or go to www.dog-fest.co.uk.