Things to do in Chicago with Dogs: Best Summer Activities with Dogs

While we have been a bit quiet on the blog lately, along with our whirlwind of a summer selling, buying a home,  and moving, we really were out there with our pups taking advantage of everything summer has to offer.
We've been way behind on posting and sharing our photos, but as we were sorting through everything  we found these 5 highlights of our favorite dog-friendly summer activities.

Gay Pride Parade

Chicago's Gay Pride Parade has always been the highlight of our summer. We love that the entire community comes out to celebrate ideas of equality and gay rights with a multi-mile parade and celebration complete with thumping music, beads and feathers.
The pups join the crowds bedecked in rainbow beads, tiaras (Miss M!) and cowboy hats (Mr. B!) and also make quite the impression showing how pit bull-type dogs are just like any other dog.
One of our favorite videos ever was showing all the people the pups met from their view in this first video in the post here. 
And Miss M's tiara debut.

Taste of Latin America

While a lot of people seem to think Taste of Chicago is one of the best events in the city (though once you live here you realize it really isn't) we think Taste of Latin America is the best food festival we've been to yet. This is a new-to-the-city festival that we first found out two years ago, and I was beyond disappointed when it was cancelled last year. This year we were excited to go with all 3 pups who had an amazing time meeting people, and staring at the food we ate. We even had our Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel cut in front of us at one of the booths and he only turned to ask "Are the dogs enjoying this festival?" (huh?)
Though I think they enjoyed the tasting a bit more here.

Shakespeare in the Park

We were able to make it out to this year's Shakespeare in the Park at our very own brand new neighborhood park. This year they brought out A Midsummer Night's Dream and though we came late and were a bit further from the stage it was nice to be able to sit outside with so many other people enjoying the play. I think it was Foster Dog Feeney's first cultural experience.
And Mr. B was still laughing about how he unexpectedly got to be part of the play last year.

Renegade Craft Fair

We know summer has really come to an end when it's Renegade Craft Fair (which annually coincides with the first Bears game of the season!). It's the weekend when a slew of Etsy-vendors converge on our city stretching out for a half-mile (on both sides!). We ran into a series of SociaBulls members, a couple of people who knew the pups from the Internet (thanks for saying hi!), and we got to see the booth of the talented and creative La Familia Green who uses her own pups as inspiration to create clever cards for your favorite pet-lover.
And in case you were ever wondering, here Miss M shares what Renegade looks like from a dog's view.

Ubiquitous Neighborhood Street Fest 

I'm not really sure which of the neighborhood festivals this was at, but it seems to have everything Chicagoans have come to expect from most street festivals.
Mr B as one of the bros? Check.
Our dogs participating in a random hook-up? Check.
Pigs in strollers? Check.
And drinking a beer? Just kidding...our pups only eat dog ice-cream.

So these were all the things we were doing when we weren't here at the computer.
Anyone else have any summer highlights with your pups?

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