Downtown’s Woodruff Park to host Dragon Con-inspired pet costume party
July 26,2018
Downtown’s Woodruff Park to host Dragon Con-inspired pet costume party
This year’s WoodRUFF Bark event, Doggy Con, pays homage to Atlanta’s annual pop culture convention
ATLANTA (July 26, 2018) - WoodRUFF Bark, a signature event in Downtown Atlanta’s Woodruff Park, began in 2017 as a Halloween pet parade and costume contest. For 2018, the park is morphing this pup-centric event into one that is even truer to its Downtown roots: Doggy Con.
WoodRUFF Bark invites metro-Atlantans and their four-legged friends for a morning of dog-friendly fun, featuring a pet parade, costume contest, doggy-centric vendors, prizes, and much more. Doggy Con will be held at 91 Peachtree St NW on Woodruff Park’s Main Lawn. from 9 a.m.- noon.
Doggy Con is inspired by Dragon Con, one of the world’s largest pop culture conventions that attracts thousands of attendees over Labor Day weekend. For many Atlantans, Dragon Con has become a holiday of its own, with eccentric costumes, a festive atmosphere, and plenty of fandom.
Entrants must register to participate in the costume contest. Register for $10 by August 16 at http://bit.ly/doggycontix, or register onsite at the event for $15. All funds raised from the event go directly back to supporting Woodruff Park.
Doggy Con At-A-Glance Details and Schedule
Doggy Con is a rain or shine event
Where: Woodruff Park Main Lawn, 91 Peachtree St NW
When: Saturday, August 18 from 9 a.m. - noon
9 a.m. Bib pick-up for costume parade (walk-up registration also available)
10 a.m. Parade begins
11 a.m. Prize ceremony
Prizes
The first 25 attendees to register will receive a special tote bag featuring the event illustration by Rachal Duggan. Prizes include two five-day passes to Dragon Con, plus goods from Big Daddy Biscuits, The Whole Dog Market, and more. All participants will receive a free Woodruff Park and Dragon Con giveaway item.
Contest categories
● Best in Show
● Best Doggie/Owner “Con-bo”
● Best Cosplay Costume
In addition to being part of a dog costume parade, attendees will also enjoy pup products from these vendors:
● Ruff Day Bandanas
● WildPic Art Publishing
● Pop Paracording
● Jazzy Pawz by Andrea
● 8SweetTreats
● King of Pups
● Mag-nificent
Community Partners
● Atlanta Rescue Dog Café
● Lifeline Animal Project
● Dragon Con
Judges
● Karen Anderson, Tiny Doors ATL
● Brandon Ley and Johnny Martinez, owners of Joystick Gamebar and Georgia Beer Garden
● Reuben the Batdog, local Instagram celebrity dog
Sponsors
This year’s Doggy Con will be sponsored by Fire Bee and Bark ATL.
To explore the full lineup of park events, including weekly and monthly programs, visit the Woodruff Park event calendar at http://bit.ly/wpkcalendar. For more information about Woodruff Park, visit www.WoodruffPark.com.
Follow Woodruff Park online at Facebook.com/WoodruffPark and @WoodruffPark on Instagram.
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About Woodruff Park: Woodruff Park is a 6-acre park in the geographic center of Atlanta. Located at the crossroads of commerce, government, and education, it is natural gathering space for a diverse cross-section of Atlantans and visitors. Originally known as Central City Park in 1970s, Woodruff Park was created through a generous donation from Robert W. Woodruff, former president of The Coca-Cola Company. Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Atlanta, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) maintains stewardship of Woodruff Park. ADID is responsible for the park’s daily upkeep and programming, as well as securing and implementing funding for future development.
About Central Atlanta Progress / Atlanta Downtown Improvement District: Central Atlanta Progress, Inc. is a Downtown business association with approximately 250 members. Its mission is to build a vibrant community with strong leadership and sustainable infrastructure that is safe, livable, diverse, economically viable, accessible, clean, hospitable and entertaining. The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable corporation created by CAP to make Downtown safer, cleaner and more hospitable. Stay connected with us at @DowntownAtlanta.