Barktoberfest event hosts dog costume contest
The cold and rainy weather didn’t keep Barktoberfest: Pups at the Patch event from being filled with people and their dogs.
Barktoberfest, hosted at Papa’s Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 28, provided several indoor activities including a photobooth, pumpkin painting, ghost making and a dog costume competition.
The event was put together by a group of students in the RPL 430 class, which is an event management class. The class is split up into groups and these groups each have to host an event of their choosing.
Upon coming into the event, guests were given a participation band and a coupon for a free cup of cider and a doughnut.
Guests who brought their dogs could also register for the dog costume competition for $3. All the proceeds that were made went to the Humane Animal Treatment Society in Mount Pleasant. In total, 22 dogs registered, raising more than $220.
The dog costumes included a sushi roll, an airplane pilot, a Starbucks cup, a bumble bee and plenty others.
The guests voted on the best dog costume. A dog named Harper dressed as Wonder Woman won first place, followed by Rider dressed as a pineapple in second place and Luna dressed as Chewbacca, who took third. All three of the winners received gift baskets filled with bones, dog treats and other goodies.
Central Michigan University alumni Josh Wozniak and Maddie Heilman said they did not expect their dog Harper to win first place.
Both Wozniak and Heilman took RPL 430 and know how much hard work goes into these events, so they wanted to come and support it.
Northville junior Hannah Wonfor and her classmates came up with the Barktoberfest event.
"Originally, we wanted to do something with veterans but there was a falling through. So, we were trying to come up with something that really brings in a lot of people," Wonfor said. They were inspired by Octoberfest, but wanted to incorporate dogs, thus coming up with Barktoberfest, she said.
“I think it went really well. We are actually pretty surprised by how many dogs and participants came out today, so we are very happy with the turnout,” Wonfor said.
She said volunteer turnout was good, probably because there were dogs involved. If she wasn't a host of the event, she would have attended it anyway.
