Beyond the Festival: Cherishing Simple Family Moments
Last weekend, my family and I set out on what we thought would be a fun-filled day at the Sydney Dog Festival 2024. As dog lovers without a furry friend of our own (yet!), we were excited to immerse ourselves in the world of canines. After a drive that included a slight detour to the wrong hotel car park, we finally found our way to the festival. But did it live up to our expectations?
As we walked through the gates, we were immediately met with a sea of sales and marketing stalls. It felt more like a commercial expo than a celebration of dogs. The queues for free samples stretched as far as the eye could see, and it quickly became clear that waiting in line could be the main activity of the day.
We had high hopes for the pat-a-pooch section, envisioning our kids delighting in meeting a variety of dog breeds up close. However, the reality was much different. The only way to interact with the dogs was by queuing up, and after just 10 minutes of being inside the festival, our kids were already voicing their disappointment. "This is boring" and "I didn't expect it to be like this" were the recurring sentiments—a tough pill to swallow as a parent who just wants to create joyful memories for their children.
The dogs themselves, well, some loved the attention, some appeared to pant in stress and others quite frankly couldn’t care less, just lying down and having a nap. The hoards of people made it hard to have a meaningful interaction. And then there was the food—$25 for a burger and chips, for one person! It felt like another reminder that the day was more about profit than fun.
But the weekend wasn’t a total loss. The best part, without a doubt, was our simple dinner at Oporto’s, sitting around a picnic bench in the middle of Olympic Park. The kids were thrilled with the bunk bed in our hotel room and watching out youngest child make a cup of tea by themselves created memories that will last far longer than the memory of the festival itself.
It was a reminder that you don’t need a big event or a hefty price tag to experience family wholesomeness. Sometimes, the simplest moments—like dinner on a picnic bench—are the ones that truly fill your heart.
So, did we need to go to the dog festival to experience that kind of connection? No, but it did serve as a reminder that the simple life often prevails. And in the end, that’s what these weekends are really about—spending quality time together as a family, wherever you are.
Time = Full day
Cost = Dog Festival Tickets $80.20, Hotel $191, Money spent $175
Total $446.20
Feeling = 6/ 10