Last year the Killingly Business Association held its first Bark Harvest at the former St. Joseph's Church at 350 Hartford Pike. That was a destination you drove to and then drove home from. This year's event runs Sunday, November 1, 2026, from noon to 3 p.m. at Davis Park, back in the middle of Danielson.
In 2025, Bark Harvest was one event. In 2026 it sits inside a loop that Danielson dog owners already have: the fenced dog park on Quinebaug Drive, the paved river trail that runs past it, and a Main Street coffee shop with a seasonal drink called the Pup-kin Spice. The KBA has said for a year that it wants to build a dog-friendly identity for the town. With the event downtown, that identity covers a full Sunday.
The Calendar the KBA Has Been Building
Bark Harvest is part of a project. The KBA calls it "Pawsitively Killingly," and proceeds from both of its pet events go to local pet shelters and to future initiatives under that name.
When the first Bark Harvest was announced, KBA President Amy Brunet explained the idea to Villager Newspapers in its September 26, 2025 issue: "We recognized that Killingly has something truly special with our concentration of dog-related businesses." She said the initiative aims to bring "together both local community members and tourists from across the region to enjoy all that Killingly has to offer."
Since then the calendar has grown to two seasons. In spring the KBA held Barks & Blooms on Sunday, May 17, 2026, with a pack walk, dog-training demonstrations and a Paws and Petals Parade. Bark Harvest covers the fall half.
There's also a thread from last year to this one. The 2025 event invited owners to enter their dogs in a contest for a 2026 Bark Harvest Studio calendar. Photo sessions were booked through Charlene's Portrait Studio, and the $40 fee was donated to local animal shelters and Pawsitively Killingly. This year's program announces the winner of the pet photo calendar contest. Some of the dogs entered last November will see how it turned out at Davis Park.
What's on the Davis Park Program
The KBA has split the activities between pets and people. One rule covers everything: pets must be leashed at all times.
For the dogs
- Pet photo calendar contest winner announcement
- Dog costume contest and pet parade
- Agility course
For the people
- A fun run
- Food from Emerald Buddha Hotpot, serving Thai and African food, and the Nest Food Truck
- A vendor fair with goods for pets and people
These vendors are listed:
| Vendor | Vendor |
|---|---|
| Beth's Creations | Soapy Paws Grooming |
| Frege's Finds | Tallowcraft by Sara |
| Light of Hope Wellness | United Methodist Church |
| Mad Hatter Creationz | Woodstock Wellness Farm |
Sponsors listed on the event page include Charlene's, Bark Society, Monogramit Plus and DUNNmarketing. The KBA is also taking vendor applications, sponsors and volunteers through the Bark Harvest page.
The food lineup has a local link of its own. Emerald Buddha is listed at 150 Main Street in the town's business directory, so the hotpot at the park comes from a restaurant just up the street.
Before the Leash Goes On: Phaiah Dog Park
The leash rule shapes how the morning should go. Three hours of costumes, an agility course and a parade crowd is a lot for a dog that hasn't run yet.
The Mitchell D. Phaiah Dog Park at 94 Quinebaug Drive is Danielson's off-leash option. The town describes it as fenced space with room for both large and small dogs. Town parks are open sunrise to sunset, so a morning visit fits easily before the noon start.
The town's posted dog park rules are worth checking before a first visit, especially if a costume dog is coming along:
- Dogs are leashed when entering and leaving.
- Owners clean up waste right away and supervise their dogs.
- Handlers must be at least 16.
- Dogs must be licensed and vaccinated.
- Sick, in-heat or aggressive dogs are not allowed, and neither are puppies under four months.
- No food, treats or glass containers.
Rule five matters on Bark Harvest day in particular. A young puppy can go to Bark Harvest on a leash, but it can't go into the dog park first.
The River Trail Ties It Together
The park is also a trailhead. The Quinebaug River Trail follows the river for walking, biking and jogging. The town lists parking near the dog park at the end of Quinebaug Drive, at Water Street and at the Little League fields. The Last Green Valley describes it as an easy paved route, a little over four miles out and back, that passes the dog park.
Because it's paved and has three parking areas, the trail works in short pieces. You can walk part of it, turn around, and still reach Davis Park well before the costume contest starts. It's also a good choice for an older dog that would be done after one lap of the agility course.
Coffee at 157 Main, Mid-Renovation
The other dog stop downtown is in the name. Two Dogs Coffee Shop opened at 157 Main Street in 2024 and roasts and packages its own beans at a facility in Pomfret Center.
On August 28, 2026, The Connecticut Scoop reported that Two Dogs is expanding into the empty retail space next door. That adds 1,600 square feet to the current 800-square-foot café, which roughly triples it. The plans include more seating, an expanded menu with new sandwiches and entrees, and room for classes, events and community gatherings. Renovation was underway as of late summer. The same report said Two Dogs plans a second location in Norwich at 345 Main Street, in the former YMCA building.
The fall menu on the shop's online ordering page includes the Pup-kin Spice and a Pumpkin Pie Latte.
Brickyard Plaza and the Lot at 128 Main
One more downtown change affects anyone driving in. In late July the Town of Killingly began the first phase of Brickyard Plaza, a public space being built inside the municipal parking lot at 128 Main Street. It's funded in part by the Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant Program, which the state Department of Economic and Community Development administers.
The town's July notice said the first-phase section of the lot would be fenced off during construction, and it didn't give a completion date. The finished plaza is planned as a public parklet with ADA-accessible walkways, public art about Historic Danielson, decorative canopy lighting for evening events, and wayfinding that points visitors to Main Street businesses.
If the day starts at the river anyway, the trail lots on Quinebaug Drive and Water Street are another place to park.
A Sunday Loop, Start to Finish
| Time | Stop | Why there |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Phaiah Dog Park, 94 Quinebaug Drive | Off-leash run, fenced areas for large and small dogs |
| Late morning | Quinebaug River Trail | Paved, easy, and starts from the dog park |
| Before noon | Two Dogs Coffee Shop, 157 Main Street | Fall menu, including the Pup-kin Spice |
| Noon to 3 p.m. | Bark Harvest at Davis Park | Costume contest, pet parade, agility course, calendar winner |
| During the event | Emerald Buddha Hotpot or Nest Food Truck | Lunch on site |
The KBA says all Bark Harvest proceeds go to local pet shelters and future Pawsitively Killingly initiatives.
I live and work in Killingly, and Bark Harvest moving to Davis Park is one of my favorite Main Street updates this fall. If you want to know what else is happening in Danielson this season, whether you have a dog or not, reach out to Skyla Gagnon. Let's Connect, and maybe I'll see you and your pup at the costume contest.
