Events
Upcoming events
Monthly Park Cleaning & Maintenance
We will be sanitizing the park surface, cleaning up trash, filling tree water bags, scrubbing the water fountains, trimming grass inside and around the park, refilling the waste bag dispensers, and doing other maintenance to help keep the park clean, healthy, and safe for the community. During the cleaning, and shortly after, the park will be closed to dogs for their safety.
Volunteer support is *always*
welcome and needed!
Please join us (dress in clothes that are ok to get dirty)
or donate via Paypal to help fund our supplies!
Cleanings are generally planned for first Wednesday of each month, approximately 1 hour before sunset, unless weather interferes.
The 2024 schedule has not been set yet, we have to wait for DC DPR to turn on the water.
Past events
Stay in touch for future events!
Capitol Hill 4th of July Parade
Tuesday, July 4th @ 9:45 a.m.
The Annual Capitol Hill Community 4th of July Parade is a local tradition, and the Virginia Ave Dog Park community will participate again! Join us and/or cheer us on as members of the community gather together along Barracks Row to watch community groups, local organizations, politicians, churches, marching bands.
Meet us at 8th & I Street SE, in the grass on the North side of the I-695 Overpass near the Capital Bikeshare station. The parade travels 3 blocks North up 8th Street ends at Pennsylvania Ave and 8th Street in the Eastern Market Metro Park.
The Parade kicks off at 10 a.m. -- and lasts about 30-40 minutes (depending on where we get slated in the parade), so we’re meeting a 9:45 a.m. sharp to organize and try to get in the beginning of the parade
Dress up yourself and your pup in your best red-white-blue patriotic outfits! We’ll have American flag bandanas for sale for $5 (all proceeds go to support the dog park)!
Participating dogs are required by the Mayor's Special Events Task Force to be fully vaccinated, so please make sure your pup is up to date for everyone's safety
Bring hard candy if you’d like to toss to kids along the parade route (no chocolate because it’s toxic to dogs)!
Howl-O-Ween Yappy Hour
Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021 @ 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Start planning your costume for @districtdog and VADP's Howl-O-Ween Yappy Hour. The party is happening at Virginia Ave Dog Park. There will be pupaccinos, doggie beer, and more! Peanut Butter Pawtraits will be on sale, with all money going to benefit the park!
Howl-idays Yappy Hour
6:30-8:30 p.m. Tues., Dec. 7 @ The Brig
Photos with Santa, extended happy hour prices, & festive cheer to end the year!
Capitol Hill Community 4th of July Parade
Sunday, July 4th @ 9:45 a.m.
The 19th annual Capitol Hill Community 4th of July Parade is a local tradition, and this year, the Virginia Ave Dog Park will make our big debut! Join us and/or cheer us on as members of the community gather together along Barracks Row to watch community groups, local organizations, politicians, churches, marching bands.
Yappy Hour at The Brig
Wednesday, June 30 @ 6 - 9 p.m.
Join us at for happy hour at The Brig! A $10 donation to the park will get you happy hour prices all night! This is a social fundraiser held at a nearby bier garden (1007 8th St SE) and dog-friendly business.
Thursday, May 20, 2021 @ VADP 6pm - 7 pm -
Winner of an Awesome Foundation DC grant, “Decoding Dog Talk” is a series of pop-up “Tail Talk” tables at dog parks and recreation areas across the city where residents will be provided with free information, diagrams and mini-demos to help them get a grasp on basic principles of canine communication during dog-dog play. Socially-distanced and masked visitors will learn from a PhD in animal behavior ways to “hear” what dogs are trying to tell us (and each other).
July HRA Donation Drive, Park Cleaning, & Annual Board Meeting
Tuesday, July 21, 2020 @ 7:30-8:30 p.m.
We held a socially-distanced meet-and-greet with the VADP board, did a park cleaning, held our annual meeting, and talked with community members about how they can get involved and help make the park better. We also collected a huge box of towels, blankets, and dog toys to donate to the Human Rescue Alliance, our soon-to-be neighbors!
Virginia Ave Dog Park Virtual New Member Info Session
Monday, August 3, 2020 @ 7 - 7:30 p.m.
Our board of directors currently has vacancies for a Vice President, Secretary, and Director positions and we're recruiting new members at this info-session. This is a great opportunity to help shape the future of the park and give back to your community. We are also in need of supporters to join us for our quarterly meetings and dog park cleanings - we want to hear directly from you about what would make the park better! Join us to learn more!
The Blue Angels and The Thunderbirds flew over the DC area and directly above the Virginia Ave Dog Park on May 2, 2020. We think we saw them wave at us!
7:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21st @ VADP
Our rescheduled annual meeting + HRA toy and blanket donation drive + Monthly park cleaning and maintenance -- All in one! Face masks and social distancing are mandatory at this meeting.
Yappy Hour
Another of our social fundraisers held at the local bier garden and dog-friendly business, The Brig.
Howlidays Party
We held a howl-iday fundraiser for the dog park at The Brig with doggie photos with Santa.
Toy Swap & Towel Drive
We occasionally hold toy swaps for our local dog owners and towel/blanket drives to collect supplies for the Humane Rescue Alliance.
DC Animal Health Fairs
We help spread the word and encourage members to participate in the DC Department of Health Animal Services Programs, including registering their dogs with the city (a requirement to use on of DC's dog parks).
Saturday Oct. 3, 2020 @ VADP 11 am - 1 pm -
(Postponed from the Spring due to Covid)
Winner of an Awesome Foundation DC grant, “Decoding Dog Talk” is a series of pop-up “Tail Talk” tables at dog parks and recreation areas across the city where residents will be provided with free information, diagrams and mini-demos to help them get a grasp on basic principles of canine communication during dog-dog play. Socially-distanced and masked visitors will learn from a PhD in animal behavior ways to “hear” what dogs are trying to tell us (and each other).