Bring Your Dog to Das Awkscht Fescht — August 1

Saturday is the big day. Das Awkscht Fescht — 63 years running — fills Macungie Memorial Park with hundreds of antiques and classics, and Saturday, August 1 is the heart of the whole weekend.

The Basics

What: Das Awkscht Fescht Antique & Classic Car Show — the 63rd annual, featuring antique and classic race cars for 2026
When: Saturday, August 1, 2026 (the Fescht runs July 31 through August 2 — see the host's schedule for times)
Where: Macungie Memorial Park, 50 N Poplar St, Macungie, PA
Host: Das Awkscht Fescht
Category: Car Show

For those of us in Chester County, this is a very reasonable drive — up into the Lehigh Valley, cars on the field by mid-morning, home for dinner. It is one of the region's genuinely legendary shows.

Check the Pet Policy First

Our board lists this one as 'Check with host' — it is a large outdoor festival, and the pet policy needs to be confirmed with the organizers. That is not a no; it is a 'do not assume.' A quick look at awkscht.com before you go is the difference between a great Saturday and an awkward conversation at the gate with a hopeful dog on the other end of the leash.

We say this in every one of these posts because it matters: the fastest way to get dogs banned from an event is for a bunch of people to show up assuming they are welcome. Ask first.

If It's a Green Light

An August 1 show in a Pennsylvania park is a warm day on grass and gravel with a lot of walking. Very doable with a dog — if you plan it.

Beat the heat by beating the clock

Early is everything. Get there when the gates open, when the grass is still cool and the field is filling up. The show cars look better in morning light anyway. By early afternoon in August, an open field in the Lehigh Valley is a hot place to have a dog.

Hot pavement, hot everything

Parking areas and any paved paths will be well above air temperature by midday. Seven seconds, back of your hand, flat on the surface. If you have to pull away, so would your dog. Stick to grass wherever the park offers it.

Water and shade are your job

Bring your own water and a collapsible bowl — do not count on a park spigot being where you need it. Scout the tree line early so you know where you can retreat when your dog needs a break. Offer water far more often than you think is necessary.

Never leave your dog in a parked car

Not for a lap of the flea market. Not for ten minutes. Not with the windows down. A car in an August lot becomes an oven, and there is no safe version of this. If your dog cannot come onto the field with you, your dog stays home — that is the whole calculus.

Short leash, and mind the metal

You are walking among cars that people have spent years and small fortunes restoring. A short leash — not a flexi — keeps your dog from brushing a fender, and keeps a wagging tail well clear of a $40,000 paint job. It also keeps them out from under the wheels of a car rolling onto the field.

Treats worth more than a hot dog wrapper on the grass

A festival field is a buffet of dropped food, and 'leave it' only works if what you are offering instead is better. Pocket a handful of our freeze-dried treats — single-ingredient, no grease, no crumbs on someone's running board or on your seats when you climb back in. That is precisely why we make them the way we do.

Read your dog, and be willing to leave

Heavy panting that will not settle. Lagging behind. Tucked tail. Trying to lead you toward the exit. Those are all your dog telling you they are done, and the correct response is to go. A good half-day beats a bad full one every single time.

Make It a Proper Day Out

The Lehigh Valley is worth the drive on its own. Use our Dog Adventure Plotter to bolt a walk somewhere green or a dog-friendly patio onto the front or back of the show.

The full listing is on our Events Board entry here. If Saturday does not work, the Fescht runs through Sunday, August 2, and there is a lot more on the Sniff & Shift Events Board.

Details on this event come from public listings. Sniff & Shift does not guarantee event accuracy, safety, availability, or dog policies. Confirm the pet policy with the host before attending.