Vancouver’s Pet-A-Palooza is a free street festival where thousands of people, dogs and pet-product-related vendors take over a street in Yaletown in August.
In 2022 the event happens on August 28th. That’s the same weekend as other events like the PNE Fair (where the Gipsy Kings perform on the 27th and the band Chicago performs on the 28th). Also on the 28th, it’s fireworks night at Nat Bailey Stadium with the Vancouver Canadians Baseball.
Pet-A-Palooza: Day of the Dog
Pet-A-Palooza takes place in the 1100 block of Mainland Street in the heart of Yaletown in August each year.
In 2020 the event was supposed to be on Sunday, August 23rd, but it got cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, Pet-A-Palooza took place from 11 am to 4 pm on September 12th.
The next festival is scheduled to take place from 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday, August 28th in 2022.
Pet-A-Palooza is a free and very pet-friendly event that features dog product vendors, dog races and hundreds of four-legged friends wandering around the street with their owners.
As of early July, Pet-A-Palooza features the following activities in 2022:
- Blessings – based on the custom in Nepal, dogs receive a red Tika on their forehead along with flower garlands and food.
- Brunch – a pancake breakfast for puppies.
- Pool Party – a 120-foot outdoor pool for dogs with floaties, music and more.
- Drive Through Pupichino – pup cups with special sprinkles are available through a window this year.
- Yoga – enjoy yoga with adoptable puppies.
- Art Installation – an interesting canine-related art installation is set up.
There are also usually the following events at Pet-A-Palooza:
- Puppy Stampede – a race that’s open to all puppies under half a year of age.
- Running of the Bulls – a 20-foot-long race for bulldogs.
- Wiener Dog Race – a race for dachshunds.
In addition, there are typically opportunities for photos, Q&A sessions with vets and bang haircuts and pedicures (for the dogs, not the people).
Pet-A-Palooza is an awesome event for people who love dogs and want to show off their pooches. Everyone is welcome!

About Pet-A-Palooza
Pet-A-Palooza is a fundraising event for the Just Love Animals (JLA) Society which is a non-profit canine community that provides holistic treatment and rescue rehabilitation services for dogs. The organization is based on Vancouver Island.
JLA does the following things:
- Creates a community of likeminded individuals to celebrate animals
- Hosts community events (like Pet-A-Palooza) and brings local, ethical businesses together
- Fosters awareness about animal welfare
- Educates and brings awareness about holistic care
- Rescues and rehabilitates dogs in need from across the continent
The Pet-A-Palooza event serves a number of purposes. It raises money for the Just Love Animals Society. It also helps the organization educate the public and create awareness about themselves, holistic canine care and the importance of animal welfare.
Vancouver is not the only city that JLA hosts a Pet-A-Palooza Day of the Dog Festival. They put on similar events in Victoria, Calgary and Scottsdale Arizona.
Pet-A-Palooza Video
Below are a couple of videos showing how many dogs and different dog breeds attend Pet-A-Palooza with their owners. As you’ll see, if you like dogs, you’ll love this event.
Here’s another, similar video. This one has a cute puppy at the end!
Other Information
For further details about the Day of the Dog event in Yaletown, click Pet-a-Palooza Vancouver.
To learn more about the non-profit organization behind the event, check out the Just Love Animals‘ website.
For more information about the area that the event takes place, click Yaletown.
If you like dogs and this kind of event, you might be interested in Paws for a Cause (in Yaletown in September) and the Pet Lover Show (in either Vancouver or Abbotsford).
For a list of other things to do in Vancouver check out any of the following:
- Vancouver August Calendar
- Vancouver September Calendar
- Festivals & Events Calendar
- Metro Vancouver’s Top 100 Places