A first-of-its-kind holiday event in downtown Kitchener is all for the dogs and their owners.

The dog friendly K-W Paw-liday Festival is the newest holiday bash to come to the region.

"There's just so much for dog owners, dog lovers, and really anybody who loves dogs," said Justine Sparling, founder of Dog Friendly KW.

The event brings over 25 dog-friendly vendors, food, and live entertainment in front of Carl Zehr Square and stretched down King Street.

"It supports small businesses and it gets dogs out of the house and gets them interacting," said Denise Johnston of Top Dog Gear.

The festival features seven pet-friendly nonprofits, including a food drive for the KW Humane Society.

"Dog food, cat food, litter, and non-clumping litter is always a big one," said Bryan Chatten from the humane society. "We'll bring it all in and bring it back to the shelter."

The two-day festival runs until 4 p.m. Sunday and is free to attend, but some events require pre-registry.