Hot Diggity Dog Fest Set for Oct. 1
to Raise Money for a Kenner Dog Park
There are lots of dog lovers in the city of Kenner, but if any of them wants to take their best friend to a dog park, it requires a trip to Lafreniere Park or the Bonnabel Boat Launch in Metairie.
Councilman Dominick Impastato and other Kenner officials would like to see that changed.
“Dog parks are extremely popular, and they are amenities that are greatly valued – both by existing residents and those choosing a place to call home,” said 5th District Councilman Dominick Impastato. “You shouldn’t have to leave your city to take your dog out for exercise and play time.”
To that end, city officials have created a “Raise the Ruff” fundraising effort to bring in the estimated $350,000 needed to build a dog park inside of Kenner City Park, 3800 Loyola Drive.
A new dog-friendly festival, the “Hot Diggity Dog Fest,” will be held Oct. 1 in Laketown and feature wiener dog races, a costume contest for dogs, talent show and gourmet hot dog contest. The festival will be free and any donations will be set aside in an account dedicated for the dog park.
Acting Kenner Mayor Michael Sigur said the city is looking for sponsors of the event to pay for the food and drinks and musical entertainment. Popular local bands Groovy 7 and 90 Degrees West have committed to the Saturday event.
“We’ve got a lot of really avid dog lovers in our city, and we think this could be an extremely popular event that could bring a lot of attention and donations to the cause of building a dog park,” Sigur said.
Potential plans for a dog park include an area with drinking fountains for dogs and their owners, an agility area, a splash area and custom-painted fire hydrants that are part of another fundraising effort and a dog wash area.
The Kenner Recreation Department is taking the lead in putting on the festival and spearheading the Raise the Ruff campaign.
Assistant Director Kerri Diaz said there are a number of different sponsor packages to fit different budgets and levels of interest.
“We are looking for a title sponsor, with a package that comes with a number of special offers, but we also have categories for small businesses that are quite affordable,” she said. Diaz said sponsors already excited to participate in the event include the Treasure Chest, Chateau Veterinary Hospital, Jefferson Feed, Lucky Dogs and Raising Canes.
For more details on the fundraising efforts, go to the Dog Park page on the website at https://kenner.recdesk.com/recdeskportal/FarmersMarket/DogPark/tabid/11235/Default.aspx. Or, call Diaz at (504) 468-7211.
