Coshocton goes to the dogs: New festival 'has the potential of bringing in a lot of people'

Leonard L. Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune
·2 min read

COSHOCTON − The Coshocton Dog Fest is a new event targeted at bringing hundreds of dog lovers into Coshocton County this summer for a variety of activities.

The event is being organized by Brad and Cathy Fuller of Good Boy Bakery, a pet treat and items store, in Roscoe Village. The couple previously spearheaded the Appalachian Bacon Nation Festival, based on the local Kraft-Heinz plant making all the company's Oscar Mayer bacon.

Brad and Cathy Fuller of the Good Boy Bakery in Roscoe Village are helping to organize the first ever Coshocton Dog Fest on Aug. 17 at Lake Park.
Brad and Cathy Fuller of the Good Boy Bakery in Roscoe Village are helping to organize the first ever Coshocton Dog Fest on Aug. 17 at Lake Park.

The dog festival will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 17 at Lake Park, 23253 Ohio 83. It's the same day as the Roscoe Village Food Truck Festival. The Coshocton County Coordinated Transportation Agency will run shuttle service between the two festivals. People also can walk between the venues via a towpath. Admission is free.

"Our love of dogs and our love of the community and having fun led us to this. It has the potential of bringing in a lot of people," Brad said. "We want to make Coshocton an even more fun place than it is to live. There can always be more stuff."

Performing demonstrations at the event will be Ultimate Air Dogs dock diving and Performance Dogs of Ohio with a variety of tricks. There will also be a lure course dogs can attempt, vendors with dog related items and a cooling tent staffed by local veterinarians. Brad said after the festival gets established in a couple years, they can apply to be part of the dock diving competition circuit.

Friends of the Park is participating and have helped to acquire an $8,700 grant from the Coshocton Foundation for operations.

Brad said they're working with the Small Business Development Center of the Kent State University at Tuscarawas on making the festival a 501c3 nonprofit organization to make fundraising and donations easier. Brad said they want the event to be self-sustaining and held annually. Donations from local businesses and individuals are being sought. He said many organizations have also pledged volunteers for setup, tear down and the festival itself.

"We have many people who want to volunteer and be involved somehow," Brad said.

The goal is to raise $10,000 to benefit the Coshocton County Humane Animal Treatment Association and Animal Shelter. Brad said they have a donation jar at Good Boy Bakery for the animal shelter that usually brings in more than $100 a month.

Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @llhayhurst.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Business owners plan inaugural Coshocton Dog Fest on Aug. 17