OCTOBER 17th, 2026 — THE FOURTH ANNUAL
2026 Great Pug Grumble
10 • 17 • 26
📍Sherwood Forest Faire
Discounted Early-Bird Tickets Now Available!
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, 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 get pampered at the Pug Wellness Spa? Maybe snap a professional photo at the ZilkerBark photobooth, 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!
Read on to see what’s new this year, how we’ve improved the experience, and everything you need to know before the big day ↓
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:
Amateur Pug Races
Pup Cup Eating Contest
Trick Learning Classes
Dog Toy Run
Pug Wellness Spa
Puglicious Limbo
Pug Maze
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:
Pug World Records
Official Pug Counter
Off-Leash Dog Areas
Expert Speaker Panels
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
🚙 Traveling in for The Great Pug Grumble? ✈️
In addition to camping, we’re working with local hotels to reserve rooms for the fest! Sign up for email alerts below and we’ll notify you when accommodations become available.
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!
