FIRST ANNUAL NATIONAL PET DAY
TALENT
& costume contest
April 11, 2026 | 11AM - 1PM
Your pet has been waiting their whole life for this moment!
Does your dog 🐶 have main character energy? Does your cat 🐱 secretly believe they're royalty? Is your rabbit 🐰 quietly plotting world domination in an adorable hat?
It's time to let them shine ✨ .
Join us for Fort Collins' most fabulous, furriest, and flat-out fun new tradition — the First Annual National Pet Day Talent & Costume Contest at the Fort Collins Winter Farmers Market.
Stop by the photo booth between 11am and 1pm to show off your pet's talents and/or costume to be entered to win.
Oh — and when you make a donation to NoCo Humane of $10 or more, you get $10 in Market Bucks to spend. Your pet gets to be a star AND you're saving lives.
That's what we call a paws for a good cause moment.
You can show up on the day of, or to guarantee a spot and skip the line, register ahead of time.
Thank you to our sponsors & partners!
PRIZES AND THEMES
🏆 Fame, Glory & Gift Cards Await 🏆
Costume Contest Categories:
🥇 Best in Parade — The full package. The costume that made everyone stop, stare, and furget what they were doing.
😂 Funniest Costume — Because someone's dog is going to show up as a hot dog, and they deserve recognition.
✨ Most Original & Unique Talent or Costume — The idea nobody else thought of. The one that breaks the internet (or at least the market Instagram).
😎 Coolest Talent or Trick - the one that makes us go "awwww wow"
Four categories. Four winners. Zero losers (every pet is paw-sitively perfect).
Prize Package for Each Winner (4 winners total):
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$75 Foothills Gift Card
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$50 Winter Farmers Market Gift Card
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Gift baskets from Wagz and Market vendors.
How to Join the Pawty 🎉
Pre-register and guarantee a place in the competition.
It's free to register or make a donation of $10 or more to NoCo Humane and receive $10 in Market Bucks.
Pre-register on EventBrite here.
Who's welcome? All ages. Most pets. (We love you, reptile people, but this one's fur the furred and feathered. No reptiles or snakes, please.)
100% of proceeds go directly to NoCo Humane.
details & logistics
Starting at 11am come by the photo booth near the East Lawn entrance — look for the NoCo Humane table or ask at the Info Booth.
If you pre-registered, we have your info. Or we will ask for some details.
Show us your stuff - we'll take a short video and also offer you a commemorative polaroid that's yours to keep.
1pm - the contest ends and the judges will make their decisions on who wins the four prizes.
Questions? Want to volunteer? Email us: hello@focowfm.com — we'd love to have you.