Get ready, Stamford! The third annual Luckypawlooza is set to take over Mill River Park on October 19 and 20, bringing two days of fun, food, and furry friends to the community. Presented by Magna Construction, this year’s festival is expanding to accommodate even more activities, running from 12 PM to 5 PM on both Saturday and Sunday.
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The event aims to raise funds for Lucky Dog Refuge and improve the beloved dog park at Mill River Park. All proceeds will directly support dogs in need and enhance the park experience for its many four-legged visitors.

A Star-Studded Event
This year, the festival will be hosted by Sam Ramsdell, a Stamford resident and social media sensation known for her energetic personality and impressive comedic chops. Sam, who holds the Guinness World Record for the “World’s Largest Mouth,” will lead a live game of Lucky Dog Jeopardy, complete with exciting prizes and surprises. Festival-goers can also look forward to a meet-and-greet with her adorable rescue pups, Peach and Pru, along with her partner in fun, OHHH JAAAAMES!
Sam has taken the comedy world by storm, boasting over 3.5 million followers on TikTok and performing on platforms as renowned as The Ellen Show and Italy’s Got Talent. With training from prestigious comedy schools, she brings a unique blend of humor and heart to this year’s event.​

Music and More
The festival lineup also includes an array of live music, featuring Peter Benson kicking things off at noon on Saturday, followed by Mars Hendrick and his full band from 2 PM to 5 PM. On Sunday, the musical vibes continue with a solo set from Mars Hendrick at 12 PM, and the weekend wraps up with a performance by Tangled Vine from 2 PM to 5 PM.
And for all the dog lovers out there, don’t miss the crowd-favorite pup cups for your furry companions, along with a thrilling lure course where dogs can showcase their speed. Plus, the festival will feature a Blind Rhino beer garden, adoptable animals from local rescues, mouthwatering food trucks, friendly dog competitions, fun activities for kids, a silent auction, and handmade crafts from local artisans.

Community Spirit
Kirstin Mende, CEO and Co-Founder of Lucky Dog Refuge, expressed her excitement about the event: “We are thrilled to be hosting our third annual festival in the beauty of Mill River Park, surrounded by nature yet in the midst of Downtown Stamford. The proceeds from this event will go a long way towards helping our Lucky Dogs in need, as well as improving the existing dog park. One of our favorite parts of Luckypawlooza is seeing our adopted dogs all grown up with their loving families! This event is always such a fun reunion of our Lucky Dog family!”
Get Involved!
Tickets for Luckypawlooza are available here. If you’re looking to get involved, volunteers can sign up here.
So mark your calendars for this paws-itively delightful weekend! Join us in supporting our furry friends and enjoy the community spirit at Mill River Park. Let’s make this year’s Luckypawlooza the best one yet! 

Lucky Dog Refuge and Mill River Park will host the third annual "Luckypawlooza" fundraising festival for two days in October.
​RJ Scofield, Patch Staff

STAMFORD, CT — Lucky Dog Refuge will host their third annual "Luckypawlooza" event next month, offering two days of entertainment for visitors and their canine companions to enjoy.

Presented by Magna Construction, the festival will be held Oct. 19 and 20 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Mill River Park, expanding the popular event from one day to two this year.

According to Marketing and Business Development Manager Samantha Rumore, the event's expansion came following feedback from adopters and friends who wanted to attend the event but ran into a conflict with one of the days.

"By expanding to two days we could cater to more people who would be available either Saturday or Sunday. We want everyone to have the chance to join us," Rumore said to Patch. "Also last year's event was very rainy on Saturday, but Sunday was beautiful and we wish we could do it all on that beautiful day. So this year we'll have fun for two days rain or shine."

Proceeds from the event are all for the dogs, benefiting both Lucky Dog Refuge and improvements to Mill River Park's dog park area, according to additional press materials.

Rumore said the Lucky Dog Refuge team was thrilled to host the festival each year in the beauty of Mill River Park, surrounded by nature but also in the midst of downtown Stamford.

"The proceeds from this event will go a long way towards helping our Lucky Dogs in need," Rumore said, "as well as improving the existing dog park at Mill River Park, which is frequented by so many of our adopters. We work closely with the team at Mill River Park Collaborative to not just use this space for the event but appreciate it as a piece of nature we enjoy as we walk our pets here."

Luckypawlooza 2024 will be hosted both days by Sam Ramsdell and OHHH JAAAMES!

A Stamford resident, social media creator and comedian, Ramsdell will host a live "Lucky Dog Jeopardy" game with prizes and surprises. A meet and greet with her rescue pups Peach and Pru, as well as James, will also be set up.

Also known as the woman with the "world's largest mouth," according to Guinness World Records, Ramsdell has over 3.5 million followers on TikTok and trained in improv and stand up comedy with Manhattan Comedy, Upright Citizens Brigade, Manhattan Comedy School and The Groundlings.

Guests can also enjoy an exciting lineup of live music, with Peter Benson kicking things off Saturday at noon and Mars Hendrick playing from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. with a full band.

On Sunday, guests can enjoy Mars Hendrick solo at noon, followed by Tangled Vine from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. to close out the event.

"We'll have our crowd-favorite pup cups for our four-legged friends, as well as a lure course to let your dog see how fast they can run," Rumore said. "Enjoy the Blind Rhino beer garden, adoptable animals from multiple local rescues, delicious food trucks, friendly dog competitions, kids activities, a silent auction and handmade crafts from local artisans."

The event comes after six months of planning, though Rumore noted Luckypawlooza "is always on our minds."

After two successful years, Rumore said she and the Lucky Dog Refuge team are proud the event has become an annual favorite for Stamford residents and visitors.

"We have such an amazing community of adopters, volunteers and supporters in the local area who love to get together to support a good cause," Rumore said. "We stay in touch as much as we can throughout the year, but one of our favorite parts of Luckypawlooza is seeing our adopted dogs all grown up with their loving families. This event is always such a fun reunion of our Lucky Dog family. All animal lovers in the community are welcome to bring their dogs, enjoy a pup cup, run in the lure course and celebrate both days with us."
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Tickets for Luckypawlooza can be purchased here, and those who wish to volunteer can sign up here.
More information is also available at www.luckydogrefuge.com.