The 10th annual Barks & Brews event, presented by Dakin Humane Society, will take place on Sunday, October 5 at Fort Hill Brewery in Easthampton. The event will begin with a VIP Exclusive Preview Hour from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with general admission taking place from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.  Ticket options are:

VIP admission tickets, priced at $65, entitle holders to on-site parking, hors d'oeuvres served during the preview hour, a complimentary beer, and an event t-shirt. (ticket price becomes $75 after Early Bird Ticket sales end after August 31)

General admission tickets, priced at $25, include a complimentary beer. Parking is located on-street and at the local school lot (a 5-minute walk) (ticket price becomes $35 after Early Bird ticket sales end after August 31)

Tickets may be purchased online here.

All attendees of the event must be at least 21 years old.

Guests are invited to bring crowd-friendly dogs on a non-retractable leash (retractable leashes are not allowed), and are asked not to bring strollers. Other event features will include:

Halloween costume contest (for dogs)

Hot dog eating contest (for dogs)

50/50 raffle (ticket holders need not be present to win)

Photo booth

Nail-trimming

Dog baths

Vendor booth shopping

Food trucks

Barks & Brews is an important annual fundraiser for Dakin, a 501(c)(3) organization. In previous years at Fort Hill, this event has generated about $30,000 for services and programs that help animals in need.

Sponsors for Barks & Brews include Fort Hill Brewery, Treeworks of Massachusetts, VCA Animal Hospitals, Country Bank, Curry Honda Chicopee, Finck and Perras Insurance, HD Air Hurley & David, Ramon Financial Services, LLC, UMass Five College Federal Credit Union, Easthampton Savings Bank, Marcotte Ford, Pioneer Valley Mental Health, and Vista Home Improvement. Media sponsors include 94.7fm WMAS, The Republican/Masslive.com, and WWLP-22News & CW Springfield.

Dakin Humane Society, located in Springfield, MA, is a 501 (c) (3) organization that delivers effective, innovative services that improve the lives of animals in need and the people who care about them. Since its inception in 1969, Dakin has become one of the most recognized nonprofit organizations in western Massachusetts, and a national leader in animal welfare. In a typical year, the organization shelters, treats and fosters more than 20,000 animals and has performed over 134,000 spay/neuter surgeries since 2009, making it one of New England’s largest spay/neuter providers.  Dakin’s Pet Health Center, a non-emergency veterinary resource for pet dogs and cats, has seen more than 12,000 patients since it opened in 2022.  Dakin is a local non-profit organization that relies solely on contributions from individuals and businesses that care about animals to bring its services to the community.  For more information, visit www.dakinhumane.org.