DAMARISCOTTA — Woofstock 2012 has changed venues this year, and will be hosted at the Damariscotta River Association at 110 Belvedere Road on Saturday, Sept. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A news release describes the canine festival as follows:
Now in its eighth year, Woofstock has been held at the Lincoln Home and at Round Top Farm in previous years, but due to space constraints and the ever-growing size of the event, the DRA site was selected this year. Located on scenic Great Salt Bay, the DRA offers beautiful views, ample parking, and plenty of room for people and pets to gather.
Woofstock 2012 opens at 10 a.m. with a Parade of Breeds, followed by a flyball demonstration by Flyball MAINEiacs at 10:30 a.m., an agility demonstration at 11 a.m. with Positively Best Friends, agility run-throughs (open to Woofstock attendees) from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., rally obedience with Right on the Mark Dog Training at 12:30 p.m., Canine Good Citizen testing at 1 p.m. and Disc Dog at 2 p.m.
Canine Good Citizen testing will also be offered throughout the day at the table for Kennebec Valley Shetland Sheepdog Rescue.
From noon to 2 p.m., the Holy Mackerels will be playing live music, a first for Woofstock.
King Eider’s will be serving up food. Known for its wide selection of dishes, Eider’s created a Woofstock menu which includes vegetarian and vegan options, and gelato for dessert.
Also new this year at Woofstock is the option for childcare at the Kids’ Craft Tent. For a small donation, caregivers will watch children from age 6 weeks to 10 years, while parents make their way around the festival. The tent will have fencing and a security feature to ensure safety for the children. The tent is also open to parents who opt to stay, and includes animalrelated crafts and games, including make-your-own-petrock, which is back by popular demand.
Woofstock vendor and rescue spaces were reserved at a record pace this year, reports an event organizer. “We have over 40 pet-related vendors this year, including a whole area on tick prevention and Lyme disease (and other tickrelated illnesses). There will be 14 rescues and shelters in attendance, all offering services such as microchipping, face painting, a dunk tank and pet games. This will absolutely be the biggest year yet.”
All proceeds from Woofstock are split between the 14 rescues and shelters, and the individual organizations also keep the profit they make at their own tables from the services they offer, the items they sell and donations.
Admission to Woofstock 2012 is $10 per person, and children under 12 are free. With every paid admission, attendees receive a bag for their free samples and goodies offered at Woofstock by the vendors and rescues.
For more information, including a list of vendors, directions and schedule of events, visit www.woofstockmaine.com.
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