PHOTO VIA PAWS IN THE PARK
The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando (Website) will bring its signature community event back to downtown Orlando with the return of the 32nd annual Paws in the Park (Website) festival at Lake Eola Park on Saturday, February 7, 2026. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
The day begins at 10 a.m. with the popular Pet Costume Contest, which features celebrity judges, prizes, and an awards ceremony (which I used to host, but I wasn’t asked this year, so I must have been too spicy last time). Other activities also include perusing adoptable pets, dog-friendly sports like a new agility course and a lure course, a beer garden, food trucks, and more than 100 pet-friendly vendors offering products and services.
Pet Alliance Executive Director Steve Bardy said this year’s event comes at a particularly meaningful moment for the organization, which will hopefully follow the completion and opening of its new Orlando shelter.
Proceeds from fundraising tied to the event will support Pet Alliance’s mission to shelter, treat, and rehome pets in need. The organization expects the funds raised through Paws in the Park to help save more than 4,000 dogs and cats this year by providing medical care, shelter, and adoption services.
Major sponsors for the 2026 event include the Downtown Development Board, Reed Nissan, Petco Love, Subaru North Orlando, and World’s Best Cat Litter.
