DogFest New England 2021 Supporting Canine Companions
DogFest New England 2021

About DogFest New England 2021

Gather your friends, family and dogs for a day of fun! The human-canine bond is truly unique. On our happiest and hardest of days, our dogs love us endlessly. They are our everyday heroes in so many ways. Whether as service dogs, working dogs or pet dogs, there are countless tales of man's best friend doing amazing things. Join the fun at your local DogFest or participate virtually as we celebrate the joy dogs bring to our lives. Registration is free. Fundraising is encouraged. There are sponsorshipvolunteer and vendor opportunities too!

When registering, be sure to indicate you are bringing a dog to get your free DogFest dog bandana. Then fundraise to qualify for some fun DogFest swag!

DogFest New England Schedule:

11 a.m. - Registration/gates open (all attendees can enter at Gate D, which is located by the World Series rings)

11:00, 11:15 and 11:30 a.m. - Tours of Polar Park

12:00 p.m. - Canine Companions graduate speaker

12:15 p.m. - Walk kicks-off (Meet the mascots - Smiley Ball, Woofster and many more)

1:00 p.m. - Closing ceremony


DogFest supports the mission of Canine Companions to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs free of charge. These dogs make a profound impact through the jobs they do like opening doors, picking up dropped items, alerting to sounds and much more.

We're excited to be partnering once again with our friends the WooSox for DogFest New England 2021. This year, we'll be in-person at Polar Park in Worcester, MA, the new home of the WooSox, on Sunday, September 19. The event will feature: tours of Polar Park, Canine Companions graduate speakers, vendors, local mascots, free popcorn and the walk around the ballpark warning track – be cheered on by the mascots and photo opportunities with WooSox mascots, Smiley Ball and Woofster and many more! 

This year, we are excited to have Jason Brewer, Boston 25 as our emcee. Plus, hear from Canine Companions graduate, Brad and Tom Hastings, on how his service dog, Naish is making a difference in his life.

Take the fitness challenge! Is your best friend "hounding" you to get off the couch? Then get out and get moving with your furry friend and benefit DogFest New England and Canine Companions. You can run, walk, roll or jog in your neighborhood, on a treadmill, on a trail or on a track. Participate at your own pace while social distancing. Be sure to ask friends and family to donate for each mile you successfully complete! Remember to take plenty of photos and videos and share them with us on the DogFest New England Facebook event page. Use the hashtags #caninedogfest and #dogfestnewengland when posting! Make sure to log your miles on your participant page and watch the thermometer rise!​​


We will continue to monitor CDC and local health guidelines related to COVID-19 and will provide any event updates on this page. We hope to see you on September 19.

Don’t miss out on DogFest. Join the fun!

Date

Starts at:  September 19, 2021 10:00 AM
Ends at:  September 19, 2021 12:00 PM

Location

Polar Park
100 Madison Street
Worcester,MA 01608 USA

Contact

Debra MacKenzie
631-561-0207

Gather your friends, family and dogs for a day of fun!

DogFest is Canine Companions' national signature event, supporting the mission of Canine Companions to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs free of charge. These service dogs make a profound impact through the jobs they do like opening doors, picking up dropped items, alerting to sounds and much more. Your participation makes a profound impact.

Our dogs love us endlessly, and the human-canine bond is powerful! Whether as service dogs, working dogs or pet dogs, there are countless tales of our best friends doing amazing things. We invite you to join the fun at your local DogFest or participate virtually as we gather to celebrate the joy dogs bring to our lives. Registration is free. Fundraising is encouraged. 

There are sponsorship [LINK], volunteer [LINK] and vendor [LINK] opportunities, too!

Why We Fundraise

Canine Companions transforms the lives of people with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs. Our dogs perform practical tasks that enhance independence and reduce reliance on others. They aren't just the eyes and ears, hands and legs of their human partners, they're also goodwill ambassadors and often, our best friends. A student achieves their dreams of attending college. A veteran gets a good night sleep. A patient can endure an additional procedure. Lives are transformed after being matched and working with a Canine Companions service dog. 

According to the U.S. Census, nearly 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have a disability. While it costs approximately $50,000 to raise and train every Canine Companions service dog and provide ongoing support to the human-canine team, each dog is provided to the recipient completely FREE of charge. Canine Companions has placed over 6,800 service dogs, but more than 400 people with disabilities are still waiting for a match. 

Our service dogs open up new opportunities and spread incredible joy. By raising funds through DogFest, you support our mission and the people we serve. Thank you.

Canine Companions in the Northeast Region

  • ​450 active graduates 
  • 145 active puppy raisers 

Fun at DogFest New England at Polar Park!

Check out this video to see highlights from DogFest New England at Polar Park!

Lillian's Story of Independence

Lillian is a high school senior in Lexington, Massachusetts. She was matched with her first Canine Companions service dog, Frontier, in August 2011, when she was just 9 years old. Frontier made a huge impact on Lillian's childhood - acting as a social bridge and providing constant companionship and unconditional love. When Frontier retired, Lillian knew she still wanted the enhanced independence that a service dog provides and applied for a successor dog. After once again attending Team Training, she was matched with Service Dog Fenway IV in February 2021. 

Fenway is trained in over 40 commands to assist Lillian with daily tasks such as picking up dropped items like a cellphone or pen, opening and closing doors and drawers, turning on lights, and much more. Lillian is looking forward to attending college in North Carolina later this year, knowing Fenway will be there whenever she needs a helping hand. She says: "Not only does Fenway help with retrieving objects and make ordinarily difficult tasks much easier, having a constantly positive presence like Fenway allows me to face hard situations head-on because I know he'll have my back, break the ice, and keep me smiling."

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Thanks to Our Generous Sponsors