Saturday 17 October 2026 · 9:30 am

Dog Lovers Festival

Melbourne Showgrounds

Come and Say Hi to Starting Over Dog Rescue at the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival! Victoria's biggest celebration of dogs is back at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 October 2026, and we'll be there! You'll find the Starting Over Dog Rescue team in the Adoption Zone, and we'd love to meet you. Come and have a chat, hear about the dogs in our care who are looking for loving forever homes, and find out how you can help, whether that's adopting, fostering, donating or volunteering. Just so you know, we won't be bringing any adoptable dogs along on the day, and adoptions won't take place on-site. But if you meet us and fall in love with the idea of a rescue dog, we'll happily point you in the right direction and tell you all about how to start your adoption journey with us. While you're at the Festival, you can: - Shop the best dog brands at the Dog Expo and Marketplace, with treats, toys, accessories, tech and more - Grab Festival Specials and Featured Products you won't find anywhere else - Meet hundreds of gorgeous dogs across dozens of breeds at Pat-A-Pooch and the Breed Showcase - Cheer on the action in The Dog Bowl, with Canine Disc on Saturday and Flyball on Sunday - Watch high-flying pups launch into a 100,000-litre pool at Kurgo® DockDogs - Hunt down eight Dog Sporting Legends around the grounds for a chance to win prizes - Snap a photo at the giant I ❤️ Dogs installation - Refuel at the food trucks It's a great day out for families, couples and groups of friends. Please note that dogs can't be brought along to the Festival, and you can find out why here. Come celebrate the unconditional love of dogs with us. We can't wait to see you there! 🎟️ Fetch your tickets 👇 https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/dog-lovers-festival-melbourne-2026-tickets-1983928033153?aff=odcleoeventsincollection