Annual wine festival literally goes to the dogs
After a brisk 15-minute walk, a pool of refreshing cool water just the thing for Jeff Sephton and Kelly Hemphill’s dog Berkley.
The Ancaster couple were among the 400 people at the soldout Muddy Paws Festival held Saturday at both Featherstone Estate Winery and Vineyard and Vineland Estates Winery.
“He’s our best friend,” said Sephton. “Anytime we can go with our puppy, we got to it.”
The couple found out about the event on Facebook.
The third annual event is the brainchild of Louise Engel from Featherstone, who said dogs are sort of a part of the family and people are looking for things to do as a whole family.
“It was also about making wine and local wineries more accessible to folks who wouldn’t normally come out,” said Engel.
“This is a fun pedestrian event in the sense we’ve got great wine, killer chefs, jazz and a leash-free zone.
The event also had fresh “yappitizers,” pet photography, dog training demonstrations and a display by national service dogs, for which Engel said the festival donates towards training a puppy.
Last year she said $1,500 to an agency that helps give pets to people dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Visitors were encouraged to take a 15-minute hike of the Bruce Trail that joins the two wineries.
Linda Bowness didn’t regret her drive through traffic from Mississauga that took almost two hours to get to the event. She brought her two chihuahuas, Gracie and Mackenzie.
“I take them to all different events, but this is a new one for me,” she said.
“I work all week. On the weekend I like to spend time with them,” added Bowness, who was sporting a T-shirt that said all she wants to do is drink wine and pet her dogs.
“These events are terrific to bring them to, they’re in here, they’re safe.”