By Aidan Johnson
Not even the sweltering heat could slow down the dogs during the inaugural Port Paws Dog Festival held over last weekend, July 23-24.
The event, which took place on the Joe Erland Field on Caroline Avenue in Port Jefferson, was held on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dogs from all around Long Island came to compete in multiple events, including dock diving and maze running.
Several parties worked behind the scenes to make this weekend a success. Kevin Wood, creator of the festival, had teamed up with DockDogs, an organization that sanctions nationally recognized aquatic dog competitions. Wood shared the significance of bringing this festival to the village.
“About 18 months ago, I got a brand new English cream retriever named Brody, and those types of dogs love the water,” Wood said. “When I heard that DockDogs existed, I thought, ‘Why not be the first to bring them not only to Port Jefferson, but to a major municipality of Long Island?’”
The dog festival could not have been possible without the canine competitors themselves. Among them was Hades, a Belgian shepherd, with his loyal human companion, Ebonie Lewis. Every time Hades competed, the crowd howled in wonder as he lunged and soared through the air.
“They love him,” Lewis said. “He’s a crowd-pleaser and he accepts the attention all the time. It makes him do better when they scream out his name and cheer him on.”
Lewis, who has traveled far and wide to bring her dog to various competitions, was happy to have one in her own backyard.
“DockDogs goes everywhere, but it’s always been in the Hamptons, and then that’s it for Long Island,” Lewis said. “You would have to travel upstate, or to Florida. Some people even come from Ohio to get to these places.” On the success of the Port Paws event, she added, “This is better than I thought it would be for the first time around. It’s great.”
Along with the competitive events, several vendors were present to sell different dog-related items. Among them was Natural Hounds, a Port Jefferson-based dog food delivery service. Tino Zicchi, an employee, said the company learned about the festival when someone came into their shop. They were more than happy to participate.
“It has been a really wonderful day,” he said. “I have seen some absolutely wonderful dogs jumping over there. My favorite part was when they put up a crane, and the dogs were jumping up to catch the toy in it. I have never seen that before in my life.”
Kaleigh Moffatt, a representative at the Maximum Canine stand, shared a similar sentiment. “It’s always nice to be able to get out and connect with the local community and be outside of our storefront for a day,” she said. “The dock diving dogs were all so amazing to watch. They all deserve big props. The whole event was very cool, and we will definitely be back.”
The Port Paws Dog Festival not only provided loads of entertainment over the weekend, but also supported a good cause. All profits from the festival will be donated to the Port Jefferson Harbor Education & Arts Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the Village Center and Harborfront Park, among other programs and initiatives.
