Dogs ruled the water at the Piedmont Park Aquatic Center this weekend, as owners brought their pups out for one last splash before the pool shuts down for the season. The annual Splish Splash Doggie Bash took over the Monroe Drive NE facility Saturday and Sunday, giving Atlanta's dogs a final chance to paddle around before the gates close to swimmers of any species until next year.
The two-day event, hosted by the Piedmont Park Conservancy, ran across four swim sessions each day, according to WSB-TV. Registration ran $35 per dog, with the fee covering entry for one designated human guardian, per the Piedmont Park Conservancy. That guardian could bring along as many as two dogs under the same registration.
Pool Closed to Humans, Open to Pups
Once the Doggie Bash wraps up, the pool shuts down for people entirely for the season, the Conservancy's event page notes. This weekend's sessions were strictly a dog swim, with the organization stating plainly that the pool is closed for the season for humans. For the dogs themselves, it meant one last chance to take a dip before the Aquatic Center goes quiet until next year, as Patch reported ahead of the event.
Owners and their dogs spent the weekend swimming, playing and cooling off together, according to WSB-TV's coverage of the event. The station described the Doggie Bash as a celebration of Atlanta's dogs and their owners, and an event that supports the park's dog-friendly spaces around the city.
Fees Fund the Park's Off-Leash Spaces
Every registration dollar matters beyond the pool deck. The Conservancy says proceeds from the Splish Splash Doggie Bash go toward funding the Piedmont Park Dog Parks, supporting their care and upkeep. The event has built a track record as a reliable fundraiser, with the Conservancy describing it elsewhere as a special fundraiser that directly supports maintenance of those off-leash areas.
The Doggie Bash has grown considerably since its earlier years. Back in 2021, the event registered more than 660 dogs and raised over $20,000 for the dog parks, per the Conservancy's own accounting. A later milestone edition, billed as the 10th annual Splish Splash Doggie Bash, drew more than 900 dogs and sold out entirely, the Conservancy has said. Organizers describe it as a tradition where hundreds of dogs leave the event every year.
The event has also become something of an end-of-summer fixture for Midtown. Last year's edition, held Oct. 4-5, 2025, at the same Aquatic Center, likewise featured four timed swim sessions each day, according to Midtown ATL, which called it an annual end-of-summer tradition for the neighborhood.
