Dogs and their humans are about to take over a stretch of Saints Drive in Metairie this Saturday, as Jefferson Parish rolls out Barkapalooza 2026, an afternoon of kickball and activities for attendees. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 6928 Saints Drive, Metairie, Louisiana 70003.
The event includes the Furmageddon Kickball Tournament and other activities.
The afternoon also includes other activities.
Craft Vendors
Barkapalooza includes splashy water play as part of its lineup.
Craft vendors are also part of the event.
Jefferson Protection & Animal Welfare Services (JPAWS) is listed as a participating organization.
The event’s address is 6928 Saints Drive.
The parish’s 2025 budget documents the scale of that work: it lists 936 JPAWS adoptions in 2023 and estimates 1,000 adoptions in each of 2024 and 2025, according to Jefferson Parish’s budget performance indicators. Those figures sit alongside the agency’s other functions, including impounding dogs found at large, investigating animal-cruelty reports and providing adoption services.
JPAWS is the parish agency responsible for animal welfare and pet ownership services across Jefferson Parish. Its work extends beyond sheltering: the agency takes in stray pets, helps reunite lost animals with owners, facilitates adoptions, investigates cruelty and neglect complaints, and quarantines animals involved in bite incidents. The parish also directs residents seeking to surrender a pet to make an appointment. JPAWS’ listed services put the festival’s animal-welfare theme in the context of its year-round public responsibilities.
