Dog lovers across South Snohomish County are gearing up for the second annual WagFest, a free pet-focused festival returning to Evergreen Playfields in Mountlake Terrace this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event pairs dozens of local vendors with hands-on dog activities, live music, food trucks, and behavior demonstrations for pets of all kinds.
According to KIRO 7 News, this year's WagFest is presented by the Seattle Kennel Club, DOGG!T, and Making Local, and welcomes attendees to bring pets while enjoying activities, local businesses, and entertainment. Carley Simpson said many dogs are expected at the festival, while Sarah Frost said anyone who likes animals should come check it out, per the same report. Cameron Simpson added that WagFest will offer behavioral psychology-based training as part of the day's programming.
Vendors, Trick Testing, and a Rare-Breed Showcase
This year's festival scales up considerably from its debut, with more than 45 local small business vendors set up across the grounds, according to Making Local. Mockingbird Comedy is scheduled to perform at 2 p.m., with DOGG!T training demonstrations slated for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., the same organizer notes.
The festival's Meet the Breeds area will showcase more than 18 dog breeds, including rare types such as the Xoloitzcuintli, Spinone Italiano, Silken Windhound, Azawakh, Kishu Ken, and Shiloh Shepherd, per Making Local. The Seattle Kennel Club partnered with Making Local to bring purebred dog educators to the event, and the club itself traces its roots back to the Queen City Dog Club, formed in the 1890s, having staged 147 dog shows in Seattle since 1938, according to a post shared on Facebook.
Testing Dogs' Manners and Tricks
Attendees can have their dogs undergo Canine Good Citizen testing and trick dog testing on-site, per KIRO 7 News. The Canine Good Citizen certification was established by the American Kennel Club in 1989 as a 10-step test evaluating practical skills like accepting strangers and polite leash walking, and the award has been recognized by 18 state legislatures, according to footage shared on the American Kennel Club's YouTube channel. The certification also serves as a prerequisite for many pet therapy programs and housing allowances, per the Canine Academy of Pennsylvania.
Getting There and Local Leash Rules
The festival takes place at the Evergreen Playfields track, and attendees traveling from King County have a transit option: Sound Transit's Link Light Rail 1 Line stops at the Mountlake Terrace Station, which opened August 30, 2024, and sits roughly 1.2 miles—about a 20-minute walk—from the venue, according to Sound Transit. That extension marked the first time light rail service reached into Snohomish County.
Once on-site, dog owners should keep municipal rules in mind. Under Mountlake Terrace Municipal Code, dogs must remain leashed in all public city parks outside designated off-leash zones, and any dog older than three months must be licensed within 30 days of residing in the city, according to the City of Mountlake Terrace. The city contracts its pet licensing management through PetData, the same source notes. For pet owners worried about a dog wandering off amid the crowds, Mountlake Terrace contracts with the Progressive Animal Welfare Society in Lynnwood as its official shelter for lost or stray dogs found within city limits, according to a community Facebook post.
The venue sits within 0.3 miles of the Mountlake Terrace Off-Leash Dog Park, which is located adjacent to the Recreation Pavilion on 228th St SW, and near pet-friendly local spots like Hemlock State Brewing Company, according to BringFido. That same listing notes the inaugural WagFest was held September 6, 2025, at Evergreen Playfield as a free, single-day event, marking the festival's first anniversary this year.
Volunteers Keep the Festival Running
Behind the scenes, organizers rely on student and adult community volunteers for festival logistics, including tasks like vendor load-in and site cleanup, with verified community service hours offered in return, per Making Local's event page. The organization accepts youth volunteers under 18 with a parent or guardian permission slip, the same listing notes. Whether attendees come for the rare breeds, the training demonstrations, or simply to let their dogs mingle, WagFest's second year is shaping up as a bigger showcase of South Snohomish County's pet-loving community.
