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‘FidoFest’ Set for Saturday in Wheeling

photo by: Photo by Eric Ayres

Wheeling City Council took action this week to proclaim Saturday, May 6, as Wheeling Dog Day, urging all residents to take advantage of the city's pet-inclusive opportunities whenever they can. These opportunities include Fido Fest, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Fitzsimmons Family Dog Park near Tunnel Green in Wheeling. In front, from left, are Kellie Ahmad (owner of the dogs pictured); Cassie Minder, marketing and communications manager for Wheeling He

There will be the sounds of woofing, the feel of soft fur, the site of paws dancing in delight and canines with noses to the ground Saturday in East Wheeling.

Volunteer Wheeling will host the first “FidoFest” beginning at 11 a.m. at the Fitzsimmons Dog Park, 520 Tunnel Green St., East Wheeling. It will last until 4 p.m.

While the festival celebrates Wheeling as a “dog-friendly” city, the focus of the event actually will be on an art installation that will be unveiled, explained Cassie Minder, communications and development manager for Wheeling Heritage.

Earlier this year, Wheeling Heritage and Volunteer Wheeling commissioned Painting With A Twist of Pittsburgh to take photos of the canines that frequent the dog park.

From there, the photos were screened onto small canvases that were painted by community volunteers in Wheeling, Minder continued. These have now been blown up in 58 larger canvases that have been placed on the fences of the dog park.

FidoFest opens with the reveal of the public art installation. Activities that follow include a dog parade and costume contests, food vendors, a dog-related market and opportunities for pet adoptions.

The pet parade begins at 11:30 a.m. at the staging area.

A demonstration with K9 Ozzy of the Wheeling Police Department is set for 1 p.m.; with K9 Zoro of the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department at 1:30 p.m.; with Upper Ohio Valley Obedience Training Club board member Linda Cornell at 2 p.m.; and with Jill Robinson at 3 p.m.

There will be raffle basket drawings at 3:30 p.m. before teardown at 4 p.m.

Wheeling City Council this week passed a proclamation declaring May 6, 2023 as “Wheeling Dog Day.”

“We would love to see as many community members as possible, and they should bring their (canine) pets,” Minder said.

She said those attending might want to consider parking elsewhere along Wheeling’s walking trail and walking to the dog park to avoid parking issues.

FidoFet is sponsored by Dirty Paws. Those wanting more information would contact Minder at 304-232-3087.

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