Woofstock, Wags & Whiskers events return this weekend with in-person formats
If you’re a dog or cat lover, clear your schedule this weekend for two fun outdoor events that organizers say are critical to solving companion animal overpopulation and homelessness in the Wichita area. You can celebrate with fellow pet owners festival-style at the 25th anniversary of Woofstock on Saturday at Sedgwick County Park and then attend the Wags & Whiskers dinner and live auction on Sunday night at Chicken N Pickle.
Two of Wichita’s largest fundraisers for local animal rescue organizations are back in person this weekend after COVID-altered events last year. Both are being held outdoor and both will continue online components to widen their reach in what is being described as a record year for animal intakes locally and nationally.
Christy Fischer, executive director of Wichita Animal Action League, says a number of factors have led to an overpopulation issue that she and others are calling the worst they’ve seen in the animal welfare industry. Among the contributors: elective procedures, which included spays and neuters for dogs and cats, were postponed in 2020 while hospitals worried about drug shortages for patients battling COVID; some owners have had to surrender animals for financial and housing reasons as fallout from the pandemic shutdowns; and a rush to adopt in 2020 while people were working from home and not traveling.
“All the rescues did a huge number of adoptions in a pretty small period of time in 2020 instead of that number of adoptions being spread over 12 to 16 months like we’d normally see,” Fischer said. “So now adoptions are down across the board because people already have their pets and they’re not necessarily looking for another.”
Wichita Animal Action League, or WAAL, is one of several state-licensed rescue groups that work alongside the Kansas Humane Society to help save companion animals from euthanasia at local shelters simply for lack of space or lack of funds for medical needs. KHS is Wichita’s largest privately-funded, nonprofit animal shelter organization. It cares for 16,000 pets annually through about 8,000 pet adoptions plus offers low-income spay/neuter services, end of life services and community outreach. WAAL is a foster-home-based rescue and does not operate a full time facility. The group saved about 1,100 animals in 2020 from the overcrowded shelters and also leads several community outreach initiatives, from supplying community pet food banks to approaching owners about neglect or cruelty concerns.
KHS and WAAL said their 2020 fundraisers brought in fewer dollars than 2019 and they are hopeful getting back to in-person events will help fund the community’s unprecedented needs. Here’s how to participate in either event:
Kansas Humane Society’s Woofstock
Woofstock, the major annual fundraising event for the Kansas Humane Society, has drawn as many as 10,000 attendees in recent years and temporarily changed its format in 2020 to a drive-through version of Woofstock and virtual activities. While they are back in person for the 25th anniversary of the event, organizers expect the ongoing spread of COVID will keep attendance lower.
“We understand that not everyone is comfortable going out to events right now,” said Ericka Goering, KHS’ director of marketing and communications. “We are an outdoor event and we have a big area, so people should be able to spread out. We recommend that for those who do want to come out, wear a mask and practice social distancing as much as possible.”
Woofstock is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2, at Sedgwick County Park, 6501 W. 21st St. Anyone age 12 and older pays $10 for access to the festival grounds, which will have 80 vendor booths with freebies as well as merchandise and services for sale, a beer garden, about 10 food trucks on site and live music: two-piece acoustic duo Dangie Music in the morning and rock band Tequila Ridge in the afternoon.
Activities for dogs include races, agility courses and a costume contest. Human activities that are scheduled include a play clinic where kids can practice being a vet, raffles for gift baskets, stage contests including musical chairs and pet/owner costumes, a photo booth and live demos from the Wichita Police Department’s K-9 Unit.
Also included in admission: a limited number of free microchips and dog vaccinations are available on a first-come first-served basis.
Five custom-built doghouses created by Commerce Construction Services Inc. will be on display at Woofstock; they are part of the Woofstock online auction that launched Sept. 20 and closes at 8 p.m. Oct. 4. You can preview auction items and bid using the auction link at kshumane.org/woofstock, and that’s where you can buy admission tickets for Woofstock or register for a VIP package. Tickets also are available at the gate on Oct. 2, though you’ll have better shirt size selection if you preregister.
There are two VIP packages: $25 includes a T-shirt, event bag, doggy bandanna and event admission while a $40 package includes the Woofstock package plus participation in a kick-off walk at 9 a.m., breakfast, a Woof Walk T-shirt and early entry to the festival grounds.
Those not comfortable attending can still donate and receive event swag, and KHS is promoting a series of online activities this week leading up to the event. Visit the group’s Facebook page (facebook.com/kshumane) to follow along with each day’s activity, from bad pet drawings for a small donation to free photo contests with prizes.
WAAL’s Wags & Whiskers
This is the seventh year for Wags & Whiskers, the major annual fundraiser for WAAL, which started rescuing animals in crisis in November 2013. This year’s event was originally booked at an indoor venue and organizers decided to move it to the open-air area of Chicken N Pickle, 1240 N. Greenwich Road.
Doors open at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 3, and the event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person and more than 100 remained as of early this week. You’ll need to purchase a ticket by the end of the day Friday at WAALrescue.org/ww.
Admission includes vegan and non-vegan dinner options, beer and wine, a DJ playing music and fun activities throughout the night. There will be a dog and cat toy pull, wine pull and a 20-item live auction with trips and one-of-a-kind experiences.
Attendees and those at home can bid on the silent auction, which is already live and has staggered ending times Sunday evening. You can register to bid using the same link above. If you can’t attend, Fischer said, consider fostering, volunteering or donating in other ways outlined on WAAL’s website.
More upcoming animal rescue fundraising events:
ICT Dachshunds Races, 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 9, outside Historic Union Station, 701 E. Douglas: Held in conjunction with the ICT Bloktoberfest, the annual Dachshund races are a lot of fun to watch plus all proceeds go directly to Lifeline Animal Placement & Protection. LAPP is a Wichita-based nonprofit animal rescue and adoption kennel; learn more about the group at lifelineanimalplacement.org.
In addition to the $5 per dog registration fee, money is raised through a silent auction and raffles open to the public during the event, as well as merchandise. Registration and practice is noon to 1:30 p.m. followed by a costume contest for the dogs at 1:45 p.m. and racing starting at 2 p.m. To pre-register or for more event information, use Facebook Messenger on the ICT Dachshunds Races page.
Who Let the Dogs Out 5K/1 Mile Fun Run, Sunday, Nov. 7, at the Sunflower Building at Sedgwick County Park: You can run with your canine running buddy, or just run by yourself; either way you’ll help reduce pet overpopulation in our area. This event raises money for Spay-Neuter Kansas, a nonprofit veterinary clinic at 319 S. Hydraulic that provides low cost spay/neuters for pets of low income households. Learn more about the clinic at spayneuterkansas.com. To register, search the event name in Facebook and click on Book Now, or search for the event on runsignup.com.
Online registration is $25 for the 1-mile tailwaggers event and $36 for the chip-timed 5K. That includes a T-shirt, finishing medal and a raffle ticket for gift baskets. Dogs who participate also will get race goodies. Register by Oct. 20 to guarantee your shirt size.
Fur Ball, 6 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, at The Vail, 210 N. Mosley: Fur Ball is the largest annual fundraiser for Beauties and Beasts Inc., a volunteer-run animal rescue nonprofit that focuses on saving animals from death row at Wichita area shelters and placing them in foster homes until they are adopted. Tickets start at $75 per person (beautiesfurball.givesmart.com) and include dinner from Culinary Catering plus two drink tickets. There will be silent and live auctions, a photo booth, wine pull and other activities. Learn more about the organization at beautiesandbeasts.org.