Nashville Unscripted · Events Guide
Free admission. Dogs welcome. Top Dog contest, pet adoption orgs, and dog-themed vendors at Capitol View. The best September event for Nashville dog owners.
Hot Diggity Dog Fest is Nashville’s annual free dog festival — a full afternoon of dog-centric fun at Capitol View with a Top Dog contest, pet adoption organizations, food trucks, and vendors dedicated to dogs and their people.
Date
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Hours
11am – 4pm
Location
Capitol View, Nashville
Admission
Free
Theme
The Great Dog Show
Nonprofit
Live Like Roo Foundation
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This is Nashville’s 4th Annual Hot Diggity Dog Fest and it keeps getting bigger. The 2026 theme is The Great Dog Show — a fitting backdrop for the Top Dog contest where your pup can compete for the title.
- Top Dog Contest — the main event. Enter your dog in the competition and show off their best tricks, looks, or personality. Categories vary by year.
- Pet adoption organizations — local rescue and adoption groups are on-site. A great opportunity to meet dogs looking for homes even if you’re not adopting today.
- Dog-related vendors — products, services, and gear for dogs and their owners from local and regional vendors.
- Food trucks — human food trucks serving the crowd throughout the event.
- Pet care services — groomers, trainers, veterinary clinics, and pet care providers on site.
- Live Like Roo Foundation — 2026’s nonprofit partner provides financial assistance to families whose pets face a cancer diagnosis.
Dog Rules
All dogs must be on non-retractable leashes to enter the festival. Retractable leashes are not permitted. Dogs must be friendly and under control at all times — this is a busy event with many dogs in a small area.
Where Is Hot Diggity Dog Fest?
Hot Diggity Dog Fest is held at Capitol View — the mixed-use development on Nelson Merry Street in Nashville’s Capitol District, just north of downtown. The address is 500 11th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37203.
Capitol View is an easy destination from downtown Nashville — about 10 minutes by rideshare or a 20-minute walk from Broadway through the Germantown neighborhood.
Parking for Hot Diggity Dog Fest
Capitol View has on-site parking. Street parking is also available in the surrounding Capitol District neighborhood. Since this is a free daytime event on a Saturday, street meters are free — no need to pay for metered parking.
For guaranteed parking, browse SpotHero for nearby options — downtown garages are within walking distance and often cheaper than event parking.
Dog-Friendly Nashville: Before and After the Fest
Hot Diggity Dog Fest is a great anchor for a dog-friendly Nashville day. Before or after the festival:
- Bicentennial Mall State Park — just south of Capitol View, dog-friendly open green space. Great for a pre-festival warmup walk.
- Germantown — the walkable historic neighborhood between Capitol View and downtown has several dog-friendly patios and coffee shops.
- Centennial Park — Nashville’s most dog-friendly large park, 15 minutes west by car. The same park that hosts Musicians Corner.
- Kimpton Aertson Hotel — if you’re staying overnight, the Kimpton Aertson near Vanderbilt is Nashville’s most genuinely dog-friendly hotel with no fees or weight limits.
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Hot Diggity Dog Fest event details are subject to change. Always verify current information at the Capitol View website or Eventbrite before attending.