The first-ever Barktoberfest community event was held on Saturday, October 22nd at the Depot Civic & Cultural Center Plaza in Brownwood and offered variety of activities. The event, hosted by Canine Cats Uncorked, raised money to benefit the PAWS program at the Ron Jackson SJCC. The PAWS program partners with the Corrine T. Smith Animal Shelter to increase the adoptability of shelter dogs by matching them with a youth who trains the dogs for a minimum of 12 weeks.

The festival was an all-day event started at 10 a.m. and continued late into the night with food and craft vendors, pet-friendly activities, and even a “Strut your Mutt” costume contest and pup pageant. The festival’s Beer Gardens served craft beers, barbecue and other offerings from local food vendors. Admission for the daytime activities was free and open to the public.

After 5 p.m. a festive “Octoberfest” style dinner was served for VIP ticket holders in the Depot.  Texas country music bands were featured on the main stage, sponsored by Barr Fabrication, and included Prophets and Outlaws, the Bleu Edmondson Band, Callahan Divide, the Bush Holloway Band and the Last Dance Band.

Barktoberfest sponsors included:

• The Brownwood Texas Jaycees
• Barr Fabrication
• Agmart
• Ben E. Keith Foods
• Koxe Kbwd
• Diamond P Enterprises
• Quality Body Works
• Hi-Way Auto, Inc.
• Grimsley Electric
• Affiliated Bank
• TexasBank
• Oliver Orthodontics
• Ethos Pet Nutrition
• Weldon Wilson Electric, Inc.
• Painter & Johnson Financial
• Lortscher Animal Nutrition
• X-treme Fence
• M&F Gauge
• Wild Bill’s Pawn Shop
• Skin360
• Kennon and Lucy McLean
• Matthew Williams State Farm Agency
• Down Home Digital