The Big Woof Festival 2026

The festival officially opened with a celebratory ribbon cutting, welcoming community leaders, animal advocates, and festival supporters

• Dignitaries in attendance: Ron Magill - Festival Ambassador and Communications Director at Zoo Miami; Daniella Levine Cava - Mayor of Miami-Dade County; Damian Pardo - Commissioner, City of Miami;  Mark Burns - Executive Director, Coconut Grove Business Improvement District; Carol Caridad - Founder and Executive Director, PAWS4you Rescue
• Poetry reading by Richard Blanco, Presidential Inaugural Poet and Miami-Dade County Poet Laureate, honoring the bond between dogs and their humans

“This is exactly the kind of event that makes Coconut Grove and Miami feel like home: neighbors, pups, local vendors, and a reminder to adopt, don’t shop.” — Commissioner Damian Pardo

  The festival delivered a packed lineup of crowd-pleasing entertainment and interactive experiences for both humans and their pups 

• Corgi and Dachshund races
• Performances by the Disc-Connected K9s World Famous Frisbee Dogs
• The Golden Glam contest, a Golden Retriever fashion competition
• Parade of Hope, featuring pups available for adoption
• City of Miami K9 exhibition agility demonstrations
• "What's Your Breed?" contest, where pups discovered their breed makeup and age
• Howling and eating contests by adorable Beagles and Hounds
• Lure course and Interactive Enrichment Zone, welcoming dogs of all breeds and abilities

  The festival featured a vibrant pet-focused vendor marketplace with a variety of vendors that created a dynamic shopping and discovery experience for dog lovers

• 32 vendor booths
• Pet nutrition and specialty foods
• Veterinary and wellness services
• Training and enrichment programs
• Pet technology and accessories
• Grooming and pet care services
• Pet fashion and lifestyle brands
• Handmade treats and artisan pet products

  Giving back to the rescue community is a central pillar of the festival and the driving force for its mission

• $10,000 plus a percentage of ticket sales donated to PAWS4you Rescue
• 8 rescue and foster organizations participated in the festival, connecting with attendees and sharing information about adoption and responsible pet ownership
• More than 30 adoptable pups were introduced to potential families throughout the weekend
• Participation by Miami-Dade Animal Services