Last year, Dock Dogs  served as one of the Washington Summer Festival’s most heavily attended events, bringing hundreds of onlookers and furry best friends to the waterfront to watch a high-flying demonstration like none other.

Last summer’s event featured 98 entries — from the professional, veteran canines to the enthusiastic local lap dog. The showcase appeals to youth and adults alike and is an addictive form of entertainment.

A lot goes into the production of Dock Dogs, however, and the organizers behind the scenes, as well as the sponsors, deserve credit for providing laughs to attendees and more out-of-town business to the downtown area during the festival.

The event has drawn hundreds and brought participants from as far as the Northeast to the banks of the Pamlico River for a day of fun in the sun. But it’s more than simply a pool for dogs to cool off.

The 26,000-galloon pool was transported from Tennessee and set up by local volunteers, including Neil Woolard, the Dock Dogs chairman for the Summer Festival. Everything from the event’s location to ticket sales was a process that took month to organize.

And this year, Docks Dogs, a free event to watch, is almost entirely funded by Beaufort County businesses, which raised nearly $10,000 to put this on, saving the city from having to open its wallet for the first time since the showcase first came to town in 2009. The only large company involved was North Carolina Ducks Unlimited.

“No one we asked turned us down and that allowed us to once again partner with the Summer Festival in providing free family entertainment for everyone to enjoy,” Woolard said.

Washington will serve as one of six locations hosting officially sanctioned Dock Dogs events this weekend. Spectators will watch a host of different breeds and sizes compete in three events — a big air horizontal jump, a vertical jump and a speed retrieve. Come out and show your support for an event that took a lot of time, hard work and private money to put on.