News Releases

The Great American Dog Show Comes to Chicago This Weekend August 25-27, 2023, at the McCormick Place Convention Center

General Admission Tickets are $35, Providing Great Entertainment for The Whole Family

*DAILY SCHEDULE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

CHICAGO, Aug. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- It's finally here! The Great American Dog Show (GADS) offers unique, affordable, family-friendly entertainment and the thrill of world-class canine competition, this upcoming weekend, August 25-27 at The McCormick Place Convention Center, Lakeside Center.

Guests can watch dogs from 200 American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized breeds compete for Best in Breed, Best in Group and Best in Show throughout the weekend and enjoy other highlights including:

AKC Meet the Breeds® where you can get close, pet, and play with nearly 100 different dog breeds.

Live Demonstrations showcasing agility, trick dog, obedience, diving dog and disc dog competitions.

Saturday Evening Program at the famed Arie Crown Theater featuring Best of Group, Best in Show and The Chicago Challenge Cup.

Ask the Experts offering educational programming throughout the weekend to learn about the latest information to care for, feed, train and understand your pet.

Kids' Corner featuring face painting, an art contest, coloring areas, stuffed animal obstacle course, bounce houses and experts to teach kids how to care for their dogs.

Vendor Village with unique vendors showcasing the best of the best dog care products: dog treats, custom collars and leashes, dog toys and accessories as well as unique services for dogs and their families.

Special highlights and schedules over the weekend include:


Friday

Saturday

Sunday

AKC Meet the Breeds® - Showcasing nearly 100
recognized breeds

n/a

8:00 a.m. – 4:00pm

10:00 a.m. – 4:00pm

Exhibition Dock Diving – See a variety of breeds
leap up to 30 feet with grace and agility into pools
along the iconic Lake Michigan

9:00 a.m. – 6:00pm

8:00 a.m. – 5:00pm

8:00 a.m. – 4:00pm

Tricks and Performance Demonstrations -
Including obstacle courses, obedience, scent work,
disc sports and tricks demonstration

10:00 a.m. – 6:00pm

 

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m

Endangered and Exotic Breeds – See and interact
with breeds teetering on extinction and ones you
won't see on every street corner

12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m

n/a

Puppy Competition – the cutest 4- to 6-month-old
pups entering the dog world

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m

 

Two of the dog show world's biggest media stars will be joining forces at the Great American Dog Show. David Frei and Wayne Ferguson are teaming up for the live coverage of the Group and Best in Show competition to be held in the Arie Crown Theater, Saturday night, August 26th. Both David and Wayne are known to millions of television viewers for their broadcasts of the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving Day. They bring with them decades of experience as dog show commentators, exhibitors, judges, and organizers.

The Great American Dog Show has partnered with three charitable organizations: AKC Canine Health FoundationAmerican Heart Association, and United Way of Metro Chicago. A portion of the proceeds from the weekend will be donated to each of these wonderful organizations.

Great American Dog Show runs August 25 (8:00 a.m.6:00 p.m.), August 26 (8:00 a.m.4:00 p.m.) and August 27 (8:00 a.m.6:00 p.m.). The Chicago Challenge Cup Finals will be held August 26 (4:30 p.m.10:30 p.m.).

1-Day ticket pricing is as follows:

$35 General Admission                   

 $30 for Seniors (65 and older) and Active Military 

$25 for Children (12 and under)         

 $100 for VIP tickets

 

For information about how to purchase tickets, and for more information about the event, visit greatamericandogshow.com. And for tickets to the Chicago Challenge Cup visit https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/07005EDEA95642A3

About The International Kennel Club of Chicago (IKC)

The IKC was originally established in 1900 as the Chicago Kennel Club. For years, IKC hosted the iconic, all breed International Kennel Club of Chicago Dog Show, the premier dog show in the Midwest and one of America's most prestigious events. A venerated Chicago tradition for decades, the show has welcomed millions of guests and became an annual destination for families from across Chicagoland. Now under the new ownership of D. Scott Pfeil and Erika Wyatt, the Chicago Dog Shows return in 2023, bigger and better than ever.

About The Great American Dog Show (GADS)

Reimagined in 2023 as the premier family event celebrating our most beloved furry friends. Great American Dog Show (GADS) is THE place to learn, experience, and have fun with family and friends in a lively dog-loving environment. Guests can see great competition, the best of the best in the industry including the latest trends in dog care, health, and wellness. GADS runs twice a year: Winter at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, Illinois and Summer at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.

 

SOURCE International Kennel Club

For further information: Jamie Mazursky, Snowball, Inc. jamie@snowballpr.com or 773.852.6400