(photo courtesy of Street Dog Hero)
Bend goes absolutely bonkers for its canine companions and two pup-pleasing activities organized by Hungry Hound’s Bryan Du Toit and Street Dog Hero in collaboration with Greg’s Grill promise to deliver a total family-friendly experience for participants and spectators alike.
First up, Second Saturday: Paws & Pints is a new monthly event taking place in the Old Mill District. As its name suggests, this will occur on the second Saturday of every month throughout the summer. Du Toit describes it as sort of similar to a First Friday crawl with people and their artworks, but will be trotting out on Saturdays for humans and their furry doggie friends.
“When we approached the Old Mill about the idea, they were very excited about it and gave us a green light pretty much right away to do the event,” Du Toit tells CBN. “So we had our first one in March and that went very well. All the local advertisers and papers were there. We had our second in April and most recently the third event in May, which was well attended and we were blown away. Basically, the second Saturday each month is a free dog party downtown.”
Rolling out from 12-3pm, it’s a relaxed, engaging afternoon of canine-centric pop-up shops, local vendors, adoptable dogs and wellness clinic from Street Dog Hero, special treats, demonstrations, giveaways, fun photo opportunities, munchies, and chill hometown vibes.
The Hungry Hound dog-targeted food cart owner conceived the event series to bring Bend’s huge dog crowd out to explore local businesses and mingle with other enthusiasts. Paws & Pints sets up on the green lawns beside the Greg’s Grill patio and invites the whole town out, woofers included, to celebrate our love of dogs and the innumerable joys they bring to our lives.
“People can come and see things like our local leash makers and dog runners and dog groomers and mobile dog gyms, and things like that,” he adds. “Eventually people can come and start to book services with the businesses that are there. They can book ahead of time for a nail trimming or groom or run and drop their dog off, then go have a pint or do some shopping or do some sightseeing around the Old Mill while their dog is getting taken care of.”
Secondly, Street Dog Hero and Hungry Hound will present Heroes and Hounds Day and the seventh annual Heroes on the Run 5K & 10K on June 14, 2026 in the Old Mill District in collaboration with the Hungry Hound Doggolympics. According to the specific event details, both races are professionally timed and run beside the Deschutes River on a blend of pavement and compacted gravel with minimal elevation gain. The 5K race is stroller-friendly for the entire route, with the 10K race extending south of the Bill Healy Bridge onto a stretch of natural trail.
Due to the joint Heroes and Hounds Day in June, there will be no June 13 Paws & Pints event and it will resume on the second Saturday in July. Registered 5K/10K runners will receive a custom finisher medal and complimentary beer (21+). Official race shirts and PAWticipant bandanas are available add-ons during registration.
Following the race from 2-5pm, attendees can check out a live frisbee show by JD Platt & The K9 Kings, then watch or take part in the Hungry Hound Doggolympics on the lawn at Greg’s Grill. This entertaining event features an obstacle agility course, high jump, a 50-yard sprint, and a best trick routine. Friendly dogs are welcome to compete or just hang out. Food and beverage choices will be available, as well as a Kids Zone with a bouncy house, face painting, and more.
“There are fabulous prize bags from Subaru with leashes and fun stuff for the winners in each category,” notes Du Toit. “I just want to make sure people know this is not a sanctioned dog competition. It’s a fun family-oriented dog event for canines of all abilities. To sign up, people can go to gethungryhound.com and pre-register or sign up on-site on Sunday, June 14.”
