Updated: July 8, 2026
One of Columbus’s biggest free dog days of summer is back this August, under a new name.
If you searched “WAG! Fest” hoping to find the giant dog festival at Prairie Oaks, here’s the honest update: WAG! Fest is done. But the party didn’t die with the name. Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks picked up the leash and now throw their own version at the exact same spot, right down to the Atlas Butler ice castle. It’s called Bark Bash, it’s free, and it’s one of the best summer days you can give a dog in central Ohio.
Bark Bash 2026 is Saturday, August 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Darby Bend Lakes Area of Prairie Oaks Metro Park, 2755 Amity Road in Hilliard. Admission is free. Bring your dog on a leash (they can go off-leash in the designated areas), and pack water and waste bags, because it’s August in Ohio and there’s not much shade out on the prairie.
The heart of it is the water. Darby Bend Lakes has an off-leash dog beach, so most dogs spend the day soaked and thrilled. Metro Parks Outdoor Adventure sets up stand-up paddleboards and kayaks you can take out with your pup, and there are a limited number of canine life jackets to borrow if you don’t bring your own. When it gets hot (it will), everyone piles into the Atlas Butler ice castle to cool off.
There’s plenty to do on dry land, too. You can walk the marketplace, stocked with local canine vendors, rescues, and clubs, which is good for samples, treats, and finding a groomer or trainer without leaving the park. The Friends of Metro Parks crew runs a tie-dye station where your dog leaves with a custom bandana. And the stage runs all day: the Franklin County Sheriff’s K-9 units show off their working dogs, and Performance Dogs of Ohio brings the crowd-pleasers, the frisbee and agility runs that are worth grabbing a spot for.
A few tips from experience: go early. Parking at Darby Bend fills up fast for this one, the lots are a walk from the action, and the middle of the day is both the busiest and the hottest. If your dog doesn’t love crowds or a hundred other dogs, this may not be their scene. But if yours is the type that loses their mind at the sight of a lake, this is their Super Bowl.
Bark Bash 2026
Saturday, August 22, 2026 · 10 a.m.–3 p.m. · Free
Darby Bend Lakes, Prairie Oaks Metro Park, 2755 Amity Road, Hilliard, OH
More info: metroparks.net
