Events Calendar
Explore family friendly events, theatres, galleries, concerts, nightlife, things to do, and more in the Greenville, SC and Upstate areas.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Make plans to attend this Power Up Spartanburg Workshop on How to Start Your Business. Offered every month in partnership with the SC Small Business Development Center, join Katrina Meeks to learn about the topics below.
Business Start-up/Preplanning
The Power Up Start-Up class will introduce you to:
- Personal fit
- Forming your business entity
- Registrations ( am I legal?)
- Banking overview
- Business Plan overview
- Marketing Overview
Make plans to attend this Power Up Spartanburg Workshop – Access to Capital. Offered every month in partnership with the SC Small Business Development Center, join Katrina Meeks to learn about the topics below.
Accounting/Budget, Business Financing, Cash Flow Management
This event will equip you with the knowledge of:
- Access to Capital ( what do I need for a bank loan?)
- Who will Fund my Business
- The Five C’s of Credit
- Skin in the Game
- Terms and Conditions (do I sign on the dotted line? )

The fourth annual SpringBoard Conference will help South Carolina women who have yet to seek positions on appointed boards and commissions gain the knowledge and confidence to do so and help women already serving become more effective board members. Learn the important role boards and commissions play in our government, understand the responsibilities associated with serving, and how to stand out in the application process. We’ll help you find the right board for your interests and experience, submit, and follow up on your application.
New this year–learn about service on corporate and nonprofit boards and hear from the officials who oversee appointments to statewide boards!
This is a virtual only conference.
Leading in the Private Sector: Serving on a Corporate or Non-Profit Board
Learn what it’s like serving on a private board, how to know if it’s the right fit for you, what experience you need, and how to find opportunities.
Presented by:
Karen Jenkins, President, Columbia Chamber of Commerce and member, SC Chamber of Commerce Board
Naomi Lett, Executive Director, United Way of SC
Starting at Home: Serving on a Local Appointed Board
Learn the roles boards and commissions play in local government, how they function, and the type of boards you can expect to find.
Presented by:
Dr. Kim Roberts, Fairfield County Clerk to Council
A New Solution: Appointments in the Digital Age
Learn how the innovative new MatchBoard app can help you find and apply for boards in your area.
Demonstration presented by:
Emily Bowerman, MatchBoard Director, SC Women in Leadership
Christie Lindsey, Clerk, City of Spartanburg
The Secret Formula for Being Appointed
What makes a candidate stand out to the council members and mayors making appointments? What skills should you have? Can networking help? What should you do before and after you apply?
Panelists:
Brandy Amidon, Mayor, City of Travelers Rest
David Kenner, Barnwell County Council
Daniel Rickenmann, Mayor, City of Columbia
How to Become a (More) Effective Board Member
What’s it like to serve? What’s the time commitment involved and how do you juggle it with other responsibilities? How many hours a month are you working outside of meetings? How do you handle conflict during meetings? How can you build a relationship with council members and officials? How do you increase your value to and status on the board?
Panelists:
Aisha Grant Taylor, Workers Compensation Commission
Kelly Glynn, Columbia HTAX Committee
Ashlye Wilkerson, Winthrop Board of Trustees
Expanded Horizons: Serving on a Statewide Board
Learn more about opportunities to serve at the state level and how the appointment process varies from local appointments.
Panelists:
S.C. State Senator Sandy Senn, District 41 – Charleston & Dorchester Counties
S.C. State Representative Beth Bernstein, District 78 – Richland County, Member, S.C. House Judiciary Committee and Secretary, S.C. House Ethics Committee
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You will find Tom Tenbrunsel a delightfully refreshing poet with a wide variety of subject matter and a style somewhere between Sandburg, Frost and the late Appalachian poet James Wright. Tom challenges one’s whit with a refreshing array of non-conforming rhyme, structure, rhythm and oft made-up words and hidden meanings. Uniquely Tom includes a photo and Author’s Notes with each poem. Join us in May to engage the spirit and myth of poetry with Tom’s “Poetry on my Mind”
Casual Poetry/Poetry on my Mind. Tom will read a couple poems for fun. He will ask guests to write a
short poem from a prompt with feedback from the group. Tom would like guests to feel free to bring short
poems to read and discuss. He encourages questions about writing poetry, about a poem of his or his
journey as a poet or his Self Help Series. So familiarize yourself with his works by scanning his website,
tenbrunsel.com Comments or questions are welcomed. Or feel free to email him in advance at
[email protected]. Check out his website tenbrunsel.com before the workshop. Send in one of your
poems to be commented on by Tom.
This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will use Microsoft Teams for the virtual connection. Sign up to attend the workshop here!
A writer and a poet, Dr. Tenbrunsel enjoyed a long successful career in Clinical Psychology. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Tom graduated from Bellarmine University, obtained his doctorate from St Louis University in 1969. He taught, published and was in administration at Michigan State University and was VP for Advancement at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He and his wife reside in the Appalachians of Western North Carolina. They have three successful children and eight grand grandchildren. Dr T. enjoys photography, gardening, cycling, hiking, camping and stalking the elusive trout. His writings and publications speak for themselves. He has published numerous books including: Casual Gardening, Poetry on My Mind, The Fund Raising Resource Manual, The Fund Raising Handbook, Fund-Raising and Grantsmanship: Getting Money from the Community for the Community, The Lansing Area Doctors Directory, 1&2, Dissertation “A Group Coupon Economy Program in Treating Mental Illness: An Experiment in Social Innovation”, A Wrinkle in My Time: My Memoirs (a work in progress)
The Blue Ridge Agility Club of Western North Carolina will host an American Kennel Club (AKC) agility trial during the Memorial Day weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, May 26 – 29, 2023. The event will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center McGough Arena in Fletcher from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm Friday-Sunday and 8:00 am-1:00 pm on Monday. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission is free. Please leave your dog comfortably at home.
Over 300 purebred dogs, from throughout the southeast, will compete at various levels of difficulty, against each other and the clock. There will be approximately 70 AKC-registered breeds competing.
Agility is a competitive team sport that involves a handler and his or her dog. The object of agility is for the handler to navigate the dog through a timed obstacle course without the dog making a mistake. The agility course is comprised of jumps; weave poles, tunnels and climbing apparatuses. Agility rules focus on safety for the dog. The sport of agility combines control, training and drive into a challenging game for both the handler and the dog. Agility training heightens the bond between dog and handler and provides fun exercise for both. Agility is one of the fastest-growing dog sports in the USA.
The FAST (Fifteen and Send Time) class will be offered Friday through Sunday. The FAST class is an additional test of strategy, accuracy, speed, timing and distance handling, to demonstrate a dog’s athletic ability. The distance challenge must be completed correctly for a qualifying run; it can be attempted anytime during the run.
Time 2 Beat (T2B) will be offered each day. Each dog has the chance to set the “Time to Beat” for each jump height. This class is the most interactive class with the most accurate and fastest dog setting the pace. Dogs from the novice, open and excellent classes compete against each other on the same course.
AKC’s exciting Premier classes will be offered all four days. Premier courses are designed to challenge dogs and their handlers at an increased skill and speed level. The courses are set above the Master class with varied approach angles, spacing and discrimination obstacles.
The American Kennel Club was founded in 1884 and is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization devoted to the study, breeding, exhibiting and advancement of purebred dogs.
The Blue Ridge Agility Club of Western North Carolina will host an American Kennel Club (AKC) agility trial during the Memorial Day weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, May 26 – 29, 2023. The event will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center McGough Arena in Fletcher from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm Friday-Sunday and 8:00 am-1:00 pm on Monday. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission is free. Please leave your dog comfortably at home.
Over 300 purebred dogs, from throughout the southeast, will compete at various levels of difficulty, against each other and the clock. There will be approximately 70 AKC-registered breeds competing.
Agility is a competitive team sport that involves a handler and his or her dog. The object of agility is for the handler to navigate the dog through a timed obstacle course without the dog making a mistake. The agility course is comprised of jumps; weave poles, tunnels and climbing apparatuses. Agility rules focus on safety for the dog. The sport of agility combines control, training and drive into a challenging game for both the handler and the dog. Agility training heightens the bond between dog and handler and provides fun exercise for both. Agility is one of the fastest-growing dog sports in the USA.
The FAST (Fifteen and Send Time) class will be offered Friday through Sunday. The FAST class is an additional test of strategy, accuracy, speed, timing and distance handling, to demonstrate a dog’s athletic ability. The distance challenge must be completed correctly for a qualifying run; it can be attempted anytime during the run.
Time 2 Beat (T2B) will be offered each day. Each dog has the chance to set the “Time to Beat” for each jump height. This class is the most interactive class with the most accurate and fastest dog setting the pace. Dogs from the novice, open and excellent classes compete against each other on the same course.
AKC’s exciting Premier classes will be offered all four days. Premier courses are designed to challenge dogs and their handlers at an increased skill and speed level. The courses are set above the Master class with varied approach angles, spacing and discrimination obstacles.
The American Kennel Club was founded in 1884 and is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization devoted to the study, breeding, exhibiting and advancement of purebred dogs.
The Blue Ridge Agility Club of Western North Carolina will host an American Kennel Club (AKC) agility trial during the Memorial Day weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, May 26 – 29, 2023. The event will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center McGough Arena in Fletcher from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm Friday-Sunday and 8:00 am-1:00 pm on Monday. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission is free. Please leave your dog comfortably at home.
Over 300 purebred dogs, from throughout the southeast, will compete at various levels of difficulty, against each other and the clock. There will be approximately 70 AKC-registered breeds competing.
Agility is a competitive team sport that involves a handler and his or her dog. The object of agility is for the handler to navigate the dog through a timed obstacle course without the dog making a mistake. The agility course is comprised of jumps; weave poles, tunnels and climbing apparatuses. Agility rules focus on safety for the dog. The sport of agility combines control, training and drive into a challenging game for both the handler and the dog. Agility training heightens the bond between dog and handler and provides fun exercise for both. Agility is one of the fastest-growing dog sports in the USA.
The FAST (Fifteen and Send Time) class will be offered Friday through Sunday. The FAST class is an additional test of strategy, accuracy, speed, timing and distance handling, to demonstrate a dog’s athletic ability. The distance challenge must be completed correctly for a qualifying run; it can be attempted anytime during the run.
Time 2 Beat (T2B) will be offered each day. Each dog has the chance to set the “Time to Beat” for each jump height. This class is the most interactive class with the most accurate and fastest dog setting the pace. Dogs from the novice, open and excellent classes compete against each other on the same course.
AKC’s exciting Premier classes will be offered all four days. Premier courses are designed to challenge dogs and their handlers at an increased skill and speed level. The courses are set above the Master class with varied approach angles, spacing and discrimination obstacles.
The American Kennel Club was founded in 1884 and is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization devoted to the study, breeding, exhibiting and advancement of purebred dogs.
The Blue Ridge Agility Club of Western North Carolina will host an American Kennel Club (AKC) agility trial during the Memorial Day weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, May 26 – 29, 2023. The event will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center McGough Arena in Fletcher from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm Friday-Sunday and 8:00 am-1:00 pm on Monday. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission is free. Please leave your dog comfortably at home.
Over 300 purebred dogs, from throughout the southeast, will compete at various levels of difficulty, against each other and the clock. There will be approximately 70 AKC-registered breeds competing.
Agility is a competitive team sport that involves a handler and his or her dog. The object of agility is for the handler to navigate the dog through a timed obstacle course without the dog making a mistake. The agility course is comprised of jumps; weave poles, tunnels and climbing apparatuses. Agility rules focus on safety for the dog. The sport of agility combines control, training and drive into a challenging game for both the handler and the dog. Agility training heightens the bond between dog and handler and provides fun exercise for both. Agility is one of the fastest-growing dog sports in the USA.
The FAST (Fifteen and Send Time) class will be offered Friday through Sunday. The FAST class is an additional test of strategy, accuracy, speed, timing and distance handling, to demonstrate a dog’s athletic ability. The distance challenge must be completed correctly for a qualifying run; it can be attempted anytime during the run.
Time 2 Beat (T2B) will be offered each day. Each dog has the chance to set the “Time to Beat” for each jump height. This class is the most interactive class with the most accurate and fastest dog setting the pace. Dogs from the novice, open and excellent classes compete against each other on the same course.
AKC’s exciting Premier classes will be offered all four days. Premier courses are designed to challenge dogs and their handlers at an increased skill and speed level. The courses are set above the Master class with varied approach angles, spacing and discrimination obstacles.
The American Kennel Club was founded in 1884 and is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization devoted to the study, breeding, exhibiting and advancement of purebred dogs.
All the best resources for homeschooling in the Upstate in one place,
on one night! And, this year we have more space, and more time!
Gather resources for your homeschool. Get answers. Find your tribe!
Co-ops, associations, sports, community groups, field trips, arts, & more all in one fun place for the whole family.
NEW THIS YEAR: Learn about homeschooling in breakout sessions, & experience educational, & fun, mini-field trips as a family.
COST
$6.75 per adult.
Children are free.
Expo admission includes breakout sessions, & one tote bag per family.
Dinner, drinks, & snacks, are available for purchase in the cafe downstairs,
& snow cones will be just outside.
Join Hub City Bookshop for a writing workshop with author Mickey Dubrow! Perfect for budding writers and those with experience. Open to all ages.
Please bring your own writing materials.
About the Workshop
Time travel doesn’t exist…yet. Until it does, it’s up to writers to explore how and why people travel through time. In this 90 minute hands-on workshop, participants will explore the elements of writing compelling time travel fiction for young adults.
Participants will:
-Learn the basic rules of time travel (there really are some)
-Generate new material
-Craft engaging scenes
-Engage in teamwork exercises
No prior writing experience required.
About the Author
Mickey Dubrow is the author of Always Agnes and American Judas. For over thirty years, he wrote television promos, marketing presentations, and scripts for various clients including Cartoon Network, TNT Latin America, and HGTV. His short stories and essays have appeared in Prime Number Magazine, The Good Men Project, The Signal Mountain Review, Full Grown People, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. His first novel, American Judas, was a Finalist for the 2020 Georgia Author of the Year Award in the category of First Novel. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, author Jessica Handler.
Pet parents and animal lovers come together to learn about each other, brag about their fur babies and find ways to support one another in business, rescue and advocacy
– Woofie’s of SE Greenville is now open, serving the needs of SE Greenville pet owners with a variety of customized, premium mobile pet care services for dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and more.
Woofie’s of SE Greenville is celebrating its grand opening at the Hampton Station’s Birds Fly South Ale Project, and Biergarten Greenville Music & Vendor event on Saturday, July 22 from 2 – 6 p.m. Woofie’s of SE Greenville will be giving complimentary wash-and-go baths and nail trimming for dogs, and giving out free swag and raffle prizes for pet owners and pet groomers alike. Attendees will be treated to a live band and goods from community vendors such as Hannah Chloe Company, a clothing brand for pets and their pawrents, and baked goods from Sweet Treats for Wet Noses, The Farmer’s Dog swag and more.
Woofie’s of SE Greenville services include:
- Mobile pet spa for a luxurious experience for pets and their people
- Dog walking
- Overnight pet sitting
- Pet transport and taxi
- Wedding and event packages
- All staff members are highly trained and CPR certified
Woofie’s of SE Greenville, providing pet sitting, dog walking, a mobile pet spa, and more to pamper pets throughout the Southeast Greenville, South Carolina area, is holding its Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, July 22, 2023, from 2-6 p.m. at Hampton Station’s, Birds Fly South Ale Project, and Biergarten Music & Vendor Event at 1320 Hampton Ave Ext in Greenville. Furry pets and their people are invited to attend as Woofie’s guests.
Join Woofie’s of SE Greenville for food, craft beer (sold by Birds Fly South Ale Project), live bands and community vendors such as Hannah Chloe Company, a clothing brand for pets and their pawrents, and Sweet Treats for Wet Noses, samples from The Farmer’s Dog and more. Woofie’s of SE Greenville will be giving complimentary wash-and-go baths and nail trimming for dogs, and giving out free swag and raffle prizes for pet owners and pet groomers alike.
WHAT: Woofie’s of SE Greenville Grand Opening Celebration. Woofie’s provides dependable pet sitting, dog walking, a pup-pampering mobile spa, and specialty products to keep SE Greenville pets healthy, happy, and safe.
WHEN: Saturday, July 22 from 2-6 p.m.
WHERE: Hampton Station, Greenville, at 1320 Hampton Ave Ext Greenville, SC 29601
WHO: Woofie’s of SE Greenville, is a franchise, owned and managed by husband-and-wife team Eric and Cameron McEntire, both University of South Carolina graduates and residents of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Cameron’s father Dr. Eric Smith, a retired dentist. The McEntire family also includes Eric and Cameron’s 2-year-old daughter Eddie; infant son Jude; and German Shephard/Husky rescue, Finn.
Learn more here or call (864) 202-6933 to book an appointment.
Woofie’s is part of Authority Brands. For more information, visit www.woofies.com and www.authoritybrands.com.
The Public Is Welcome to Attend Our Dog Shows
The dog shows are free to the public each day. It’s a wonderful and inexpensive way to entertain the whole family.
The shows are held each day, Thursday through Sunday, July 27 – 30, 2023. Each day is a separate show, so you can attend any day and see a complete show.
These shows are among the largest on the east coast with an average entry of about 2,000 dogs each day. The dogs hail from over 40 states from California to New England, along with a scattering of dogs from foreign countries. They include popular breeds, such as the Golden Retriever with an entry of nearly 100 dogs, to the Xoloitzcuintli, the Mexican National Breed. With over 150 breeds represented, there will many breeds that you are familiar with, but many more that you have probably never heard of nor seen.
There are 2 events that are fun to watch. The “Conformation” show is about how the dog looks, and the “Junior Showmanship” is for children from 8 to 17 who compete to demonstrate their dog-handling skills.
How to Watch the Show
Breeds are judged at different times in different rings every day. To get the most from the show it’s best to “know before you go.” If you are interested in certain breeds, you should check the schedule for the day you plan to attend. The complete judging program will tell you how many of that breed are competing and at what time and in which ring.
Available around July 19th:
DAILY RING SCHEDULE
COMPLETE JUDGING PROGRAM
If you are interested in seeing the most breeds in the shortest time, it’s best to attend the group judging, where you will see the Best-of-Breed winner of each breed in that group. Judging of a group takes about 20 minutes, seeing all the breeds will take a little over 2 hours. The schedule will also show you when group judging begins and the order of group judging.
Immediately following group judging will be Best-In-Show judging.
How a Dog Show Works
Each breed has a written standard that describes exactly how the dog should look and behave. It goes into great detail as to how the dog looks. The judge evaluates how closely the dog “conforms” to the standard, hence the name “Conformation.”
Each breed is judged separately. There are several classes for each sex. Males are judged first. After all the classes are judged the 1st place winners of all the classes are compete against each other. The judge’s selection for the best male is awarded the Winners ribbon and receives championship points.
After the males are shown, the females compete in exactly the same procedure.
Following the female judging, the champions plus the male and female that won championship points compete for Best-Of-Breed. Later in the day, the Best-Of-Breed winner competes against the other Best-Of-Breed winners in his group for Best-In-Group. There are seven groups, sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding.
The Best-in-Group dog moves up to compete for the ultimate prize … Best-In-Show.
Junior Showmanship
Junior Showmanship competition is to encourage children to learn how to handle show dogs. It provides an opportunity for the kids to compete against each other to see how well they are progressing. The classes are divided by age of the child. They may handle any AKC pure bred dog.
Suggestions when attending the show
- Do not bring your dog to the show. Only dogs that are entered for competition are allowed.
- Baby strollers must be approved at the club desk near the front entrance and a stroller pass will be issued. This is for the safety of the children and small dogs.
- Dogs are not for sale at the show, but you can visit with breeders to find out where you might buy a puppy of that breed and to learn some puppy raising practices to ensure a good pet.
- When approaching an exhibitor at ringside, be sure not to disturb them if they are preparing to go into the ring soon. They are concentrating on the presentation of their dog to the judge and shouldn’t be distracted by long conversations. It’s best just to ask if you can speak with an exhibitor. Most are happy to talk to you after the competition.
- Please ask before petting a dog.
- Be sure to instruct your children to respect the dogs and ask for permission to pet them.
The Public Is Welcome to Attend Our Dog Shows
The dog shows are free to the public each day. It’s a wonderful and inexpensive way to entertain the whole family.
The shows are held each day, Thursday through Sunday, July 27 – 30, 2023. Each day is a separate show, so you can attend any day and see a complete show.
These shows are among the largest on the east coast with an average entry of about 2,000 dogs each day. The dogs hail from over 40 states from California to New England, along with a scattering of dogs from foreign countries. They include popular breeds, such as the Golden Retriever with an entry of nearly 100 dogs, to the Xoloitzcuintli, the Mexican National Breed. With over 150 breeds represented, there will many breeds that you are familiar with, but many more that you have probably never heard of nor seen.
There are 2 events that are fun to watch. The “Conformation” show is about how the dog looks, and the “Junior Showmanship” is for children from 8 to 17 who compete to demonstrate their dog-handling skills.
How to Watch the Show
Breeds are judged at different times in different rings every day. To get the most from the show it’s best to “know before you go.” If you are interested in certain breeds, you should check the schedule for the day you plan to attend. The complete judging program will tell you how many of that breed are competing and at what time and in which ring.
Available around July 19th:
DAILY RING SCHEDULE
COMPLETE JUDGING PROGRAM
If you are interested in seeing the most breeds in the shortest time, it’s best to attend the group judging, where you will see the Best-of-Breed winner of each breed in that group. Judging of a group takes about 20 minutes, seeing all the breeds will take a little over 2 hours. The schedule will also show you when group judging begins and the order of group judging.
Immediately following group judging will be Best-In-Show judging.
How a Dog Show Works
Each breed has a written standard that describes exactly how the dog should look and behave. It goes into great detail as to how the dog looks. The judge evaluates how closely the dog “conforms” to the standard, hence the name “Conformation.”
Each breed is judged separately. There are several classes for each sex. Males are judged first. After all the classes are judged the 1st place winners of all the classes are compete against each other. The judge’s selection for the best male is awarded the Winners ribbon and receives championship points.
After the males are shown, the females compete in exactly the same procedure.
Following the female judging, the champions plus the male and female that won championship points compete for Best-Of-Breed. Later in the day, the Best-Of-Breed winner competes against the other Best-Of-Breed winners in his group for Best-In-Group. There are seven groups, sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding.
The Best-in-Group dog moves up to compete for the ultimate prize … Best-In-Show.
Junior Showmanship
Junior Showmanship competition is to encourage children to learn how to handle show dogs. It provides an opportunity for the kids to compete against each other to see how well they are progressing. The classes are divided by age of the child. They may handle any AKC pure bred dog.
Suggestions when attending the show
- Do not bring your dog to the show. Only dogs that are entered for competition are allowed.
- Baby strollers must be approved at the club desk near the front entrance and a stroller pass will be issued. This is for the safety of the children and small dogs.
- Dogs are not for sale at the show, but you can visit with breeders to find out where you might buy a puppy of that breed and to learn some puppy raising practices to ensure a good pet.
- When approaching an exhibitor at ringside, be sure not to disturb them if they are preparing to go into the ring soon. They are concentrating on the presentation of their dog to the judge and shouldn’t be distracted by long conversations. It’s best just to ask if you can speak with an exhibitor. Most are happy to talk to you after the competition.
- Please ask before petting a dog.
- Be sure to instruct your children to respect the dogs and ask for permission to pet them.
The Public Is Welcome to Attend Our Dog Shows
The dog shows are free to the public each day. It’s a wonderful and inexpensive way to entertain the whole family.
The shows are held each day, Thursday through Sunday, July 27 – 30, 2023. Each day is a separate show, so you can attend any day and see a complete show.
These shows are among the largest on the east coast with an average entry of about 2,000 dogs each day. The dogs hail from over 40 states from California to New England, along with a scattering of dogs from foreign countries. They include popular breeds, such as the Golden Retriever with an entry of nearly 100 dogs, to the Xoloitzcuintli, the Mexican National Breed. With over 150 breeds represented, there will many breeds that you are familiar with, but many more that you have probably never heard of nor seen.
There are 2 events that are fun to watch. The “Conformation” show is about how the dog looks, and the “Junior Showmanship” is for children from 8 to 17 who compete to demonstrate their dog-handling skills.
How to Watch the Show
Breeds are judged at different times in different rings every day. To get the most from the show it’s best to “know before you go.” If you are interested in certain breeds, you should check the schedule for the day you plan to attend. The complete judging program will tell you how many of that breed are competing and at what time and in which ring.
Available around July 19th:
DAILY RING SCHEDULE
COMPLETE JUDGING PROGRAM
If you are interested in seeing the most breeds in the shortest time, it’s best to attend the group judging, where you will see the Best-of-Breed winner of each breed in that group. Judging of a group takes about 20 minutes, seeing all the breeds will take a little over 2 hours. The schedule will also show you when group judging begins and the order of group judging.
Immediately following group judging will be Best-In-Show judging.
How a Dog Show Works
Each breed has a written standard that describes exactly how the dog should look and behave. It goes into great detail as to how the dog looks. The judge evaluates how closely the dog “conforms” to the standard, hence the name “Conformation.”
Each breed is judged separately. There are several classes for each sex. Males are judged first. After all the classes are judged the 1st place winners of all the classes are compete against each other. The judge’s selection for the best male is awarded the Winners ribbon and receives championship points.
After the males are shown, the females compete in exactly the same procedure.
Following the female judging, the champions plus the male and female that won championship points compete for Best-Of-Breed. Later in the day, the Best-Of-Breed winner competes against the other Best-Of-Breed winners in his group for Best-In-Group. There are seven groups, sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding.
The Best-in-Group dog moves up to compete for the ultimate prize … Best-In-Show.
Junior Showmanship
Junior Showmanship competition is to encourage children to learn how to handle show dogs. It provides an opportunity for the kids to compete against each other to see how well they are progressing. The classes are divided by age of the child. They may handle any AKC pure bred dog.
Suggestions when attending the show
- Do not bring your dog to the show. Only dogs that are entered for competition are allowed.
- Baby strollers must be approved at the club desk near the front entrance and a stroller pass will be issued. This is for the safety of the children and small dogs.
- Dogs are not for sale at the show, but you can visit with breeders to find out where you might buy a puppy of that breed and to learn some puppy raising practices to ensure a good pet.
- When approaching an exhibitor at ringside, be sure not to disturb them if they are preparing to go into the ring soon. They are concentrating on the presentation of their dog to the judge and shouldn’t be distracted by long conversations. It’s best just to ask if you can speak with an exhibitor. Most are happy to talk to you after the competition.
- Please ask before petting a dog.
- Be sure to instruct your children to respect the dogs and ask for permission to pet them.
The Public Is Welcome to Attend Our Dog Shows
The dog shows are free to the public each day. It’s a wonderful and inexpensive way to entertain the whole family.
The shows are held each day, Thursday through Sunday, July 27 – 30, 2023. Each day is a separate show, so you can attend any day and see a complete show.
These shows are among the largest on the east coast with an average entry of about 2,000 dogs each day. The dogs hail from over 40 states from California to New England, along with a scattering of dogs from foreign countries. They include popular breeds, such as the Golden Retriever with an entry of nearly 100 dogs, to the Xoloitzcuintli, the Mexican National Breed. With over 150 breeds represented, there will many breeds that you are familiar with, but many more that you have probably never heard of nor seen.
There are 2 events that are fun to watch. The “Conformation” show is about how the dog looks, and the “Junior Showmanship” is for children from 8 to 17 who compete to demonstrate their dog-handling skills.
How to Watch the Show
Breeds are judged at different times in different rings every day. To get the most from the show it’s best to “know before you go.” If you are interested in certain breeds, you should check the schedule for the day you plan to attend. The complete judging program will tell you how many of that breed are competing and at what time and in which ring.
Available around July 19th:
DAILY RING SCHEDULE
COMPLETE JUDGING PROGRAM
If you are interested in seeing the most breeds in the shortest time, it’s best to attend the group judging, where you will see the Best-of-Breed winner of each breed in that group. Judging of a group takes about 20 minutes, seeing all the breeds will take a little over 2 hours. The schedule will also show you when group judging begins and the order of group judging.
Immediately following group judging will be Best-In-Show judging.
How a Dog Show Works
Each breed has a written standard that describes exactly how the dog should look and behave. It goes into great detail as to how the dog looks. The judge evaluates how closely the dog “conforms” to the standard, hence the name “Conformation.”
Each breed is judged separately. There are several classes for each sex. Males are judged first. After all the classes are judged the 1st place winners of all the classes are compete against each other. The judge’s selection for the best male is awarded the Winners ribbon and receives championship points.
After the males are shown, the females compete in exactly the same procedure.
Following the female judging, the champions plus the male and female that won championship points compete for Best-Of-Breed. Later in the day, the Best-Of-Breed winner competes against the other Best-Of-Breed winners in his group for Best-In-Group. There are seven groups, sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding.
The Best-in-Group dog moves up to compete for the ultimate prize … Best-In-Show.
Junior Showmanship
Junior Showmanship competition is to encourage children to learn how to handle show dogs. It provides an opportunity for the kids to compete against each other to see how well they are progressing. The classes are divided by age of the child. They may handle any AKC pure bred dog.
Suggestions when attending the show
- Do not bring your dog to the show. Only dogs that are entered for competition are allowed.
- Baby strollers must be approved at the club desk near the front entrance and a stroller pass will be issued. This is for the safety of the children and small dogs.
- Dogs are not for sale at the show, but you can visit with breeders to find out where you might buy a puppy of that breed and to learn some puppy raising practices to ensure a good pet.
- When approaching an exhibitor at ringside, be sure not to disturb them if they are preparing to go into the ring soon. They are concentrating on the presentation of their dog to the judge and shouldn’t be distracted by long conversations. It’s best just to ask if you can speak with an exhibitor. Most are happy to talk to you after the competition.
- Please ask before petting a dog.
- Be sure to instruct your children to respect the dogs and ask for permission to pet them.
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