OCTOBER 17th, 2026 — THE FOURTH ANNUAL
1,417 PUGS!!!
2026 Great Pug Grumble
10 • 17 • 26 @ Sherwood Forest Faire
↓ SIGN UP FOR 2027 BELOW ↓
↓ LAST CHANCE FOR 2026 GREAT PUG GRUMBLE MERCH! ↓
✨ PLEASE ALLOW TWO WEEKS FOR PRINTING + SHIPPING ✨
Secure one of our limited-run canvas bags to tote around your pug’s gear and snacks at this year’s Great Pug Grumble!
This 100% cotton canvas bag is locally screen printed and measures 14.5” x 15.5”.
NOTE:
🌟 VIP tickets to the Great Pug Grumble include a complimentary tote bag!
SHIPPING & RETURNS:
All Sales Are Final. No refunds will be available for orders canceled after 24 hours from purchase.
Delivery is expected within 3-9 business days once shipped.
*This is a post-event print run, so please allow two weeks for production & shipping after you place your order*
✨ PLEASE ALLOW TWO WEEKS FOR PRINTING + SHIPPING ✨
Get your official 2026 Great Pug Grumble event t-shirt — It’s a double-sided unisex cotton tee, screen printed locally. 20% of the proceeds for this locally-printed shirt will be donated to the Pug Rescue of Austin.
COLOR: Natural
The t-shirts are printed on the Tultex 202, which is a crowd favorite, classic 100% cotton unisex tee.
SHIPPING & RETURNS:
All Sales Are Final. No refunds will be available for orders canceled after 24 hours from purchase.
Delivery is expected within 3-9 business days once shipped.
*This is a post-event print run, so please allow two weeks for production & shipping after you place your order*
Display your pug pride to everyone who sees you wearing this classic, cotton twill dad hat. Making their debut at our 2026 Great Pug Grumble, the demand for these hats was high so we have decided to produce another limited run!
This soft denim cap is 100% washed cotton. The 6 panel unstructured cap features six sewn eyelets, an adjustable strap and metal buckle. Our hats are all locally embroidered in Austin! 🤠
SHIPPING & RETURNS:
All Sales Are Final. No refunds will be available for orders canceled after 24 hours from purchase.
Delivery is expected within 3-9 business days once shipped.
*Orders placed with post-event Grumble Tees & Totes will be shipped in two weeks*
A BIG THANKS TO OUR 2026 GREAT PUG GRUMBLE SPONSORS!
What is The Great Pug Grumble?!
WE’RE CALLING IN ALL THE CURLY-TAILED, SNORT MONSTERS…
AND HOSTING OUR 4TH ANNUAL GREAT PUG GRUMBLE THIS FALL, 2026.
In 2025, we blew past previous years with 755 pugs and their humans showing up for one unforgettable day. Attendance has doubled and even tripled year over year, and we’re just getting started. This year, we’re heading into our biggest venue yet — the expansive Sherwood Forest Faire — and we’re ready to take things to a whole new level.
Expect a pug-packed day full of festive activities, adoptable pugs, upgraded experiences, smoother flow, and more space for your pups to play, roam, and most importantly… grumble! From fan-favorite competitions to brand new activations, everything is designed to make this the best one yet.
Is your pug ready to compete for the PupCup eating crown, strut their stuff in the limbo, or compete in the Tomlinson’s Potato Derby? Maybe snap a professional photo at the ZilkerBark photo booth, then let them cool off while you kick back with a drink in hand. Best of all? A big focus of this event is raising funds to support the regional Texas Pug Rescues who care for these beloved smush faces! $2 from every ticket sold will go to pug rescues, including Pug Rescue of Austin and DFW Pug Rescue!
Read on to see what’s new this year, how we’ve improved the experience, our 2026 event lineup, and everything you need to know before the big day ↓
Festival Highlights
WE’VE GOT AN EXCITING LINEUP OF PUG-TASTIC FESTIVITIES PLANNED, THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS. SEE BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS AND HOW TO PARTICIPATE!
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Enter your pug in the amateur races or cheer on the professional championship!
Amateur races welcome pugs and pug mixes, with onsite registration for 6 Bark Credits per entry.
VIP includes one amateur entry per dog, up to two dogs.The professional championship is for purebred pugs, requires advance registration and a $25 entry fee, and awards $500, a trophy and sponsor swag to the champion.
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Join the parade after our group photo as we make our way to the race course! Walk with your city, rescue alumni, mobility and wagon crew, or the costume finale.
All dogs are welcome, and costumes are encouraged but optional—there’s no costume judging.
Included with admission; no Bark Credits required.
Advance signup helps us organize sections and send you lineup details.
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🎁 Stop by the ZilkerBark booth to check out the official GPG event merch - tees, tote bags, hats, stickers & more!
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Guide your dog under the limbo bar without knocking it down!
Each dog gets up to 60 seconds, and treats and toys are welcome for encouragement. The bar gets lower each round until one dog remains and wins a prize.
Walk-up entry is 2 Bark Credits per dog, per competition.
VIP includes priority access and unlimited competitions, with one entry per dog in each competition.
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Watch @greatpuggrumble’s Instagram Stories throughout the day for live challenges!
Be the first to bring the correct answer to the Chewy booth and show that you follow @ChewyVetCare to win.
No Bark Credits required.
Limit one primary prize per person or household during the event.
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Meet adoptable pugs from Pug Rescue of Austin and DFW Pug Rescue and talk with the rescue team about their personalities, needs and adoption process. Stop by to get to know the dogs and learn about adopting, fostering or supporting pug rescue.
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30+ booths throughout the venue to procure your favorite Pug gear, swag, accessories, adornments, treats, gifts, and more! You’ll find goodies from all of these brands:
Action Pack
Dogdrop
Floof & Flour
Good Dogs Bakehouse
Jake and Blue’s Raw Dog Food
Pawfect Pawtions
RGV Freeze Dried Treats
Royal Canin
Alex V Designs
Big Zen Paws
Blind But Not
Doggie Bandanas
Wagtrendz
THEO 141
Livewell Animal Hospital of Austin
Violet Crown Vet
Training Wild Dogs
Invisible Fence Brand
PawChart (Lumora Animal Health)
Mr. Pickles Candy
My Mini Mento
Renewal by Andersen
Widdle Plum
Claire’s little Boutique
Everlasting Lynx
Pretty Pens ATX
Mazie Days
Brutus Bone Broth
Big Bully Turf
Bravado Dog Grooming
Sundays for Dogs
Resting Rainbow of Austin
Joy(n) Handcrafted
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☕️ 🥟🍦🌮 We’ve got a diverse lineup of tasty treats for humans, too! You’ll find these vendors around Sherwood Forest:
Alsies Austin Central
Dante's x Heidrun's Haven
Pueblo Viejo Mexican food
Amy's Ice Creams
Limón y Sol ATX
Olive & Fire
Steamies Dumplings
Vintage Vibes Dirty Sodas
The Venue
☞
The Venue ☞
The 2026 meetup is officially heading to Sherwood Forest Faire, just northeast of Austin! We landed on this location for a few key reasons, and we’re really excited about the long-term potential here. A few highlights:
6,000+ parking spots
Room for 15,000+ humans and 4,000+ pugs
Tons of shade thanks to 100’ pine trees
Multiple dedicated off-leash dog parks (including one with a huge pond)
Stroller-friendly paths throughout the venue
Ample food vendors, bars, and multiple VIP areas
Plenty of seating and “cool down” zones if you and your pug need a break
Even better, Sherwood Forest is centrally located, making it easy to travel from major Texas cities:
Austin — 45 min
San Antonio — 1 hr 45 min
College Station — 2 hours
Houston — 2 hr 25 min
Dallas–Fort Worth — 3 hours
A few BIG updates to this year’s event!
We heard your feedback after last year’s Pug Meetup, and we’re excited to share the big improvements you can expect this October…
🎟️ Bark Credits — Included with Every Dog! 🎟️
We’ve made a big upgrade to this year’s event to make your day smoother, more fun, and packed with value.
*EACH DOG* will receive 8 Bark Credits at check-in — included with your entry ticket.
Bark Credits can be used to participate in many of the event’s most popular activities, so you can choose exactly what you want to do.
🐶 Use Your Bark Credits For:
Pup Cup Cart
Amateur Pug Races
Agility Course
Off Leash Dog Park
Pup Cup Eating Contest
Dog Toy Run
Puglicious Limbo
Some activities require more credits than others based on demand and capacity (for example, races and the Toy Run).
In past years, these activities cost extra ($7–$15 per dog). Now they’re included with your Bark Credits!
🎉 Plus — Tons of Free Activities
Not everything requires credits. You’ll still have access to a full day of free experiences:
Grumble World Records
Official Pug Counter
The Pug Parade
💡 Why Bark Credits?
No surprise add-ons at checkout
More flexibility — choose the activities you care about
Shorter lines for high-demand experiences
More value included with your ticket
If you want to do even more, additional Bark Credits will be available for purchase at the event. We’ll release more details about your Bark Credits as we finalize all of our activities!
🌟 VIP Package🌟
Our VIP experience is FULL of perks so you and your pug(s) can have the absolute best time. Here’s what’s included:
🏃♀️➡️ Fast Entry— Skip the lines with a dedicated VIP entrance and check-in
🌟 Priority Access— Unlimited activations wristbands (no tickets required) + skip-the-line perks + early race signup
🚙 Premium Parking— ABUNDANT, reserved on-site parking just steps from the entrance
🛋️ Private VIP Spaces— Multiple exclusive lounges with shade, seating, private bars, restrooms, and a VIP-only off-leash area
🌳 Comfort & Convenience— More seating, more shade, and easy access to water stations
🪑 Premium Seating— Reserved seating section for the pug races!
🌭 Food & Drinks— Private bar access, complimentary non-alcoholic drinks, and shorter food lines
💐 VIP Extras— Upgraded swag and exclusive giveaways
👋🏼 Concierge Support— On-site team to help you navigate and make the most of your day
2025 Meetup Highlights
We successfully surpassed our 2024 meetup attendance, with an official count of 755 pugs!!In addition to an adorable afternoon at Lustre Pearl South, this meetup featured:
☕ Off-Leash Pug Zone by CuppaPug
🏁 PUG RACES!
🐾 Dog Toy Run by Austin Subaru
A fenced-off area full of dog toys! For a $5 minimum donation to the Pug Rescue of Austin, your Pug can enter and select their favorite toy to take home!
🐶 Adoptable dogs from Pug Rescue of Austin
📸 Dog photos from ZilkerBark
And of course, some awesome vendors! Here’s a list of the amazing businesses who supported the event:
🐶 Adoptable dogs from Pug Rescue of Austin
🛰️ GPS collar tracking from Fi Dog
🦴 Tasty bone broth from Brutus Bone Broth
🌈 Goodies from PAZ Vet
💊 Urgent Care information and merch from UrgentVet
🐕 Dog merch from Wag Trendz
🌱 Dog training advice from Wonderdog Training
🧼 Canine cleaning advice from DirtyDog Austin
🩺 Pet care from Veterinary Emergency Group
🌿 Pet health from Westlake Animal
🩺 People health from Ally Medical
🐕🦺 Dog swag from Theo141
🐕 One stop pug care by Walk! ATX
If your business is interested in being a vendor at our next meetup, inquire here!
Interested in being a vendor or sponsor at our meetups?
Past Photo Booth Galleries!
