For the second year in a row, the Fur the Love Pet Fest returns to Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, February 20, at its new location at Oceanside Park, AKA the LOOP.
The LOOP — short for Las Olas Oceanside Park — is the central hub for the new $65 million, four-park system at the heart of Fort Lauderdale Beach. The public green spaces, including the Intracoastal Promenade, Las Olas Beach Garage Sunset Terrace, and DC Alexander Park, aim to provide ongoing interactive outdoor experiences for locals and tourists alike.
According to Arianne Glassman, Fort Lauderdale Beach’s Open Spaces coordinator, the pup-positive Fur the Love event is the perfect way to celebrate the city's dog-friendly outdoor public spaces.
"The first event was very well-attended and was one of the first events to take place in Fort Lauderdale as pandemic restrictions eased," Glassman tells New Times. "At the time, it was the perfect followup to a series of pet-friendly Fort Lauderdale beach videos showcasing influence Ana Elvir and her Maltese, Teddy. People were traveling with their pets or adopting new pets and it was our way to showcase the city as a pet-friendly destination — and what better way than to honor dogs with an event held on National Love Your Dog Day?"
Indeed, the 2022 Fur the Love festival coincides with "National Love Your Dog Day," offering attendees a day of four-legged fun hosted by Ana Elvir and her Maltese, Teddy, the mom-and-pup duo behind the @TourwithTeddy Instagram handle and Living a Fairytail blog. Named a top influencer in the 2021 Fort Lauderdale Magazine annual readers poll, Teddy is a sought-after product ambassador, model, and tour guide to some of the most pet-friendly places around the nation.
This year, the festival will feature a "Pupchella" theme, a nod to the California-based music festival of a similar name. Guests are encouraged to dress in theme with flower crowns, tie-dye, and boho accessories.
Pose with your pets at one of three photo "selfie" booths.
Photo by Lorena Cora Pet Photography
A people- and pet-friendly marketplace will host three dozen new and returning vendors, ranging from pet services like Certified Therapy Dog, Healthy Smiles Pet Dental, and PetWell Clinic Pembroke Pines to a plethora of pet and people clothing, food, and accessories.
New this year: the "Bark Brunch" picnic.
"The brunch was created this year to make it a true Sunday fun-day experience," Glassman says. "We were looking for a way to elevate the event while staying within the Pupchella theme."
The "Picnic For Two" is open to all guests, and includes a brunch-themed picnic for two adults and two pets for up to two hours. Priced at $110, the package includes a "brunch board" curated by Publix Greenwise Market for human patrons, in addition to a Farmer's Dog bowl and Maja Heaven treats for each pet. Coffee, juice smoothies from Tropical Smoothie Cafe, picnic blankets, and a VIP gift bag with one flower crown per guest and a tie-dye bandana per dog is also included.
A VIP "Bark Brunch" package accommodates up to six adults and six pets for the entire day, priced at $100 per person, or $600 per table. The VIP picnic setup offers the same perks as the Picnic For Two, in addition to three raffle tickets per guest, as well as tickets for the dog yoga and entry to the fashion show. A limited number of VIP tickets are available and require a deposit to reserve.
Additional food vendors include The Caribe Vegan, 30 Slide, Tropical Smoothie Café, and Coffee Vibes Miami, Jugo Boss, Maja Heaven, Bona Bona Ice Cream, and YoYo's Burgers. A sampling station for pets will also be available from The Farmer's Dog.
All proceeds from Fur the Love benefit 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida, a nonprofit established to raise awareness of animal neglect and abuse. For tickets, details, or to participate as a sponsor or vendor, visit FTLPetFest.com.
Fur the Love Pet Fest at Las Olas Oceanside Park. 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, February 20; $10-$40 per person (children under 12 free); FTLPetFest.com.
