It’s time to celebrate your best friend! National Dog Day is Wednesday, Aug. 26, and a few fun events are happening around Bend in honor of our canine companions.
On Saturday, Aug. 22, check out the Dogs & Lagers Fest at Crux Fermentation Project. From 12-5pm, this family-friendly, fourth-annual event features food, lagers, local vendors and adoptable dogs from Street Dog Hero.
At GoodLife Brewing on Saturday, Aug. 22, check out a benefit for the Humane Society of Central Oregon from 4-7pm. There’ll be live music from local band Bigfoot County and limited-edition GoodLife Brewing × HSCO t-shirts for sale, with all of the proceeds benefiting HSCO. Plus, GoodLife is donating 10% of all sales during the event to HSCO. All pups are welcome, regardless of where they came from. Save the date, too, for the HSCO Clear the Shelters Open House on Aug. 29. The nationwide pet-adoption campaign has helped more than 1 million pets find homes since 2015. People can stop by HSCO to meet adoptable animals and learn about volunteering, fostering and other ways to help the HSCO.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Aug. 23, people can bring dog and dauber to Not’cho Grandma’s Bingo at Silver Moon Brewing from 9:30 am to noon. Hosted by Street Dog Hero and Youni Movement, full tables (seating up to 12) are available to purchase or single seats. Each Sunday’s event benefits a different nonprofit.
At Bevel Brewing, people can bring their pups to a family-friendly celebration on Wednesday, Aug. 26 from 6-8pm. The National Dog Day party will feature dog photography from High Desert Howl and portraits (bring a photo of your pet if they don’t attend) by Sun Dog Art, and accessories and supplies from Action Dog Gear and treats from Blue Dog Barkery. The event benefits Street Dog Hero, which will have dogs there that are available for adoption. Street Dog Hero is a nonprofit that provides wellness and spay and neuter services, organizes rescues and facilitates adoptions for dogs in need around the world.
“I thought it’d be a great way to bring people together. They can bring their dogs out to the patio, and we can raise more funds for this amazing organization,” said Valarie Doss, one of the owners of Bevel Brewing who adopted a dog from Street Dog Hero several years ago.
During the month of August, at Deschutes Title, stop in and pick up a free dog bandana, put it on your pup, and then snap a photo. If you tag Deschutes Title on Facebook or Instagram, the company will donate $1 for every picture posted to local shelters, including the HSCO and BrightSide Animal Center. Deschutes Title is a title and escrow company with offices in Bend, Redmond and La Pine, as well as St. Helens, Oregon.
“Bend, and Central Oregon overall, is such a huge dog community, and with it being National Dog Month, we wanted to find a fun way to spotlight all of the dogs that are part of our community,” said Jeni Roberts, business development for Deschutes Title and herself a dog lover (she has two). “We’ve had quite a few people tagging us, and we’ve got lots of people coming in to our offices to get bandanas. It’s been really well received and super fun.”
While Chik-fil-A isn’t doing anything specific on Aug. 26, that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten their canine customers. Just the opposite, in fact. Every first Saturday of the month is “Dogs in the Drive-Thru” at the restaurant, for which the motto is “Eat Mor Chikin” and the mascot is a black and white cow. Dogs get free treats and a cow-print handkerchief at the monthly event.
“We just love them at the drive-thru,” said Charlene Adkins, who works at Chik-fil-A. “They’re a big part of the ordering process. We do free puppuccinos, like little pup cups with whipped cream. It’s a big deal here. We love to see the dogs and the cars with our guests.”
This article appears in the Source August 27, 2026.
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