Daydream Playbook Entry #28
A recap of our Dog & Owner Lookalike Contest in NYC, by Sam Calagione
As I'm typing this, it's nearly 90 degrees on a humid morning in coastal Delaware. We are truly in the midst of the “dog days” of summer. So, it was totally kismet that we, as the Dogfish Head collective, got to host a Dog & Owner Lookalike Contest in the dog-eat-dog Big Apple during the dog days of summer … and we got to do it on the actual National Dog Day, which was August 26.
I was born in New York City, and returned there to write the Dogfish Head business plan right after college. It's also the city that birthed my two favorite musical genres of punk rock and hip-hop. And speaking of hip-hop, it was mind-blowingly awesome to judge this competition alongside hip-hop legend, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, and six-time Grammy winner, Big Boi of Outkast. And Big Boi's not frontin' on his passion for our canine brothers and sisters. He and his brother run an impressive dog-oriented collective out of Georgia called Pitfall Kennels.
It was the perfect event that mashed up all of our passions at the Dogfish Head brand. It was free, outdoorsy, dog friendly and we got to invite hundreds and hundreds of New Yorkers with their favorite four-legged friends to enjoy each other's company, and cuddle many, many cute dogs, all while having some delicious Dogfish Head beers, canned cocktails, and killer local food.
We had multiple partners that made this event so special for us, including Waggies by Maggies & Friends. They're a Wilmington, Delaware-based company that makes dog treats from scratch, hand-crafted by bakers with intellectual disabilities. The ones I met at the event shared their love of dogs with me over high fives and hugs, which was super heartwarming.
We've been working with this company at Dogfish for over a decade, making dog treats out of the spent barley grain from our brewing process, which we sell from our locations in Delaware and on www.dogfish.com.
Another super cool longtime partner that activated in a really off-centered way at this event was our pals at Priority Bikes. Check out this killer unit that they built for dog lovers and pedal pushers who are often one and the same.
Big Boi; our other judge, the internet sensation dog Lumi (@littlebearlumi); and I judged dozens and dozens of dog owners and dog partners who did an amazing job with their outfits and shared aesthetic vibes. It was hard to choose the winner among so many amazing contestants, but the top three deserved their kudos for sure.
Our Dogfish Inn has always been dog friendly and will continue to host events and support projects that support our four-legged pals. Not to mention, “dog” is the syllable that is first in our hearts and first in the name of our thirty-one year-young brand. Check out events listing at www.dogfish.com for more events like our National Dog Day Dog & Owner Lookalike Contest, which we just had, and our Dock Dogs extravaganza in Milton, which will be returning next year as well.
