Creating a canine-friendly evening complete with vendors, music and a late-night movie, the Keyport Bayfront Business Cooperative served as the host to its third annual “Dog’s Night Out.”
“We are always looking to bring people into town and walk, shop and dine. This seemed like a great opportunity to accomplish that while supporting animal lovers and their desire to socialize with each other,” Stuart Z. Koperweis said, executive director of the Keyport Bayfront Business Cooperative.
More than 80 locals and their four-legged friends enjoyed numerous vendors who sold various dog products from all natural dog treats to accessories, on June 29 at West Front St. between Broad Street and Main Street in Keyport.
Dog’s Night Out is a part of the Keyport Bayfront Business Cooperative’s Keyport Thursday summer series, according to prepared statement from the non-profit organization.
“KBBC was created in 2012 after the Keyport Business Alliance was disbanded. The KBBC is a private not for profit 501(c)(3), designated as the District Management Corporation of the Keyport Special Improvement District. We work in partnership with the borough and the other civic organizations in borough. Our stakeholders are the business and property owners in the district,” Koperweis said.
On top of providing canine-friendly outdoor shopping, the cooperative also held an Adopt-A-Thon where residents got to talk to representatives from local rescue shelters and meet adoptable dogs.
During the event, representatives from the Associated Humane Societies’ animal shelter in Tinton Falls brought two puppies who were up for adoption, named Berkeley and Baltic.
Lindsay Papa the office manager for the Associated Human Societies’ animal shelter in Tinton Falls said that the shelter has about 80 dogs and about 100 cats that are currently up for adoption.
“We love coming to these it’s good exposure, [we] get the animals out for the day, try and attract people to come to the shelter and adopt, [and to] spread the word that we are out there,” Papa said.
Attendees also got to enjoy dog-friendly dining during the event, due to local restaurant McDonagh’s Pub allowing dog-owners to eat with their dogs at its outdoor eating area.
Borough of Matawan resident Anthony Muzio and his family attended the event with their two dogs Noodle and Luna.
“We usually come out to the community events and this was well advertised in the local area and we decided to come out. The weather was beautiful and the dogs were cooped up in the house and the yard and we decided that this is the place to be tonight and it’s a very big turnout,” Muzio said.
Later that night, locals got to hear live music provided by the HP and His Hot Take-Out Band at the borough’s mini park.
The event ended with residents and their dogs watching the comedy drama film “A Dog’s Purpose” which also took place at the borough’s mini park.
“As this is the third year most of the planning was to tweak the best practices of past. Our event committee and Chair of this event, Ann Boyce, has been very active in ensuring participation. The crux of the planning is the six weeks before to get the word out and recruit vendors and local businesses. We decide on all events at the end of the year for the following year and put the calendar together in January,” Koperweis said.
For more information about the Keyport Bayfront Business Cooperative and its upcoming events visit www.visitkeyport.org/events/.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].