A warm summer night on Spy Pond Field. A pink sunset. Popcorn. Bubbles. Lots and lots of dogs. And lots and lots of dog videos on the big screen. It can only be Fido Fest.

Arlington Community Media, Inc (ACMi), Arlington’s public access television station, and dog-focused social group and nonprofit organization Arlington Dog Owners Group (A-DOG) have now orchestrated three years of this dog-themed film festival. ACMi and A-DOG founded Fido Fest as a paean to dogs and their loving owners.

The event is sponsored by A-DOG, by pet-sitting/dog-walking business BlueSky Dogs, and by real estate agent Judy Weinberg at Leading Edge Real Estate. The Capitol Theater provides bags of “pupcorn”. Anyone can submit a video of their dog, from an amateur home video to a polished narrative short film.

Local band Stanley and the Undercovers played 50s and 60s rock standards, including, of course, “Hound Dog.”

While waiting for the main events, Fido Fest attendees played with bubbles, hula hoops, and an oversized Jenga game.

As the sun began to set, people brought their dogs up to participate in the dog pageant, competing in categories like Smallest Dog, Most Wags, and Dog-Owner Lookalike. Every dog who entered won.

As darkness fell, the main show began: the films. Everyone settled into beach chairs or sat on the ground to watch dog-themed content ranging from home videos to short documentaries and humorous Vine-style clips. The audience laughed, sighed, and barked. And at the end of the night they went home with their friends and families, on two legs, four wheels, or four paws.

Note: This article was updated 6:30pm August 4, 2019, to add that Judy Weinberg also sponsors the event.