The annual November National Dog Show Weekend in Philadelphia is the least expensive major family attraction in the Delaware Valley, according to research by Temple University Sports Industry Research Center and the Kennel Club of Philadelphia.
A comparison with other popular events and venues such as the Philadelphia Flower Show, the Franklin Institute, Longwood Gardens and the Philadelphia Zoo establishes the Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s canine extravaganza as easily the most affordable. Tickets for the Saturday and Sunday November 16–17 event at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks are $20 for adults, $10 for kids 4-11 years old with children three-and-under admitted free. Parking at the Expo Center is also free.
The National Dog Show boasts the best family entertainment value in the region because the Kennel Club of Philadelphia is a nonprofit with the mission of educating the public about responsible pet parenting and the wonderful appeal of dogs. That educational mission includes maintaining affordable price points, for consumers.
In two years of research commissioned by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia (KCP), Temple University students and members of its Sport Industry Research Center found that the average stay for a family at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center event was 3.5 hours, comparable to the time spent at other attractions or sports events.
The dog show has been held in Philadelphia since 1879 and it has run continuously since 1933, moving to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks in 2009. Attendance reached over 15,000 in 2023 as the attraction emerged from the COVID-constrained years.
“As a non-profit with the mission of educating the public about dogs, we take very seriously the need to maintain family-friendly ticket prices,” offered Wayne Ferguson, president of the KCP, “Our attraction is wonderfully unique since the dogs are on hand all weekend long at benches for people to meet them and interact with their owners, handlers and breeders so they can learn what kind of canine might be best-suited for their family.”
The National Dog Show is the only show in America this year that is a “benched” show, meaning that each of the 2,000-plus dogs are located on the Expo Center floor. It is one of the most prominent in the world. Saturday’s show is broadcast nationally on Thanksgiving Day from noon to 2 p.m., following the Macy’s Parade. The parade is viewed by a total audience of over 20 million people every year (It’s on NBC 10 regionally). n
Pictured: Stache, a Sealyham Terrier, strikes a pose after winning Best In Show last year. Photo: Steve Donahue/See Spot Run
