Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes · Small town
Northport
The last village on the Leelanau Peninsula, a harbor town on Grand Traverse Bay close to a state park, the Grand Traverse Lighthouse and beach trails.
Parade · Family · Northport
Northport Dog Parade
An August Saturday when Northport dogs and their people parade through the village in costume, with a new theme every year and prizes at the end.
The Northport Dog Parade is exactly what it sounds like, and the village takes it seriously: 2026 was the 29th year. Owners dress their dogs to the year’s theme, the judges hand out prizes, and the parade goes through town at midday.
You do not need a dog to enjoy it. Bring a chair, find a spot along the route and make a day of Northport. Registration details and the theme are posted on the parade’s site each summer.
What to expect
Dogs register and are judged at the Marina Park Pavilion in the morning, then the parade steps off around noon. The committee picks a new theme every year (2026 was Paw-Ty Like a Rockstar), and prizes are given in several categories.
Location
Where Northport Dog Parade happens
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks the town; check the organizer for exact venues.
About Northport
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
Beach
South Beach (Northport)
Northport's village beach on Grand Traverse Bay, just south of the marina on Bay Street, with a sandy swim area, restrooms, picnic tables and a playground.
Under a mile away (straight line)
State park
Leelanau State Park
The state park at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, with the Grand Traverse Lighthouse, a rustic campground and the Cathead Bay trails to a sandy beach.
About 4 miles away (straight line)
Beach
Van's Beach
Leland's public Lake Michigan beach, a short walk from downtown at the end of Cedar Street, joined to Hall Beach and Fishtown by the shore. A local sunset spot.
About 10 miles away (straight line)
More events in and around Northport
- Leelanau UnCagedA free, car-free day of music, dance and art on open-air stages across downtown Northport in late September, billed as the end of Leelanau summer.
- Elk Rapids Harbor DaysElk Rapids' summer festival since 1955: several days of parades, car shows, races and contests around the harbor, ending with fireworks on Saturday night.
- Interlochen Arts FestivalInterlochen's summer season of concerts and performances, from student orchestras to touring headliners at Kresge Auditorium on Green Lake.
- Les Préludes at InterlochenThe free concert that closes every Interlochen Arts Camp season, with all three high school orchestras and dancers in the Interlochen Bowl. 2027 is the 100th.
- Suttons Bay Art FestivalA juried weekend art fair with about 100 artists at Marina Park on the Suttons Bay waterfront, held the first weekend of August.