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After nine years of partnership, the city of Durham has terminated its co-hosting agreement with Beyond Fences for Barktoberfest, the city’s annual canine celebration in Durham Central Park.
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The sudden decision leaves the nonprofit without enough time to independently run its signature fall event, effectively canceling the event for October after months of planning.
Lori Hensley, director of operations for Beyond Fences, an animal welfare group, told The News & Observer on Wednesday that unilateral decisions by the city led to the cancellation. She said the group was informed last week by email.
“We were concerned because things were happening that were not in the agreement, and that we weren’t really feeling like we were a collaborative part off,” Hensley said. “This is much more than about an event. Barktoberfest has been one of our most important fundraisers.”
Since 2017, Beyond Fences and Durham Parks and Recreation have co-hosted Barktoberfest, building on the momentum the group started when they ran the festival independently. The event draws hundreds of pet owners and festival goers each year to enjoy the dog-friendly event with local vendors, food trucks, and dog costume contests.
Beyond Fences, formerly the Coalition to Unchain Dogs, has been working for 20 years to help underserved neighborhoods get basic pet care resources. The group helps families build fences for their pets, get a doghouse and pet food, and runs a free spay-and-neuter program.
Hensley said past planning for Barktoberfest was collaborative, but this year’s process felt starkly different under a new city special events manager.
“This year when we started [planning], the city presented changes that were more of decisions they had already made,” she said.
A primary point of contention was the festival’s sponsorship process. Under previous agreements, Beyond Fences managed sponsorship payments due to their year-round relationships with donors. This year, however, the city told Beyond Fences that it would be taking over sponsorship fund collections, altering sponsorship levels and changing the packet language, Hensley said.
When Beyond Fences pushed for discussion, the city acted independently, Hensley said.
“We weren’t opposed to discussing improvements,” she said. “We just thought that a change of that magnitude should have been collaborative and more transparent, especially for our sponsors who support Beyond Fences for years. While we were trying to reach an agreement on that, the city just went ahead and mailed out all the sponsorship packets without our knowledge.”
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The Durham Parks & Recreation Department sent a statement to The N&O expressing gratitude for “the great work” of Beyond Fences but adding:
“This year, we identified a need to strengthen our partnership and negotiate the terms of our agreement to provide clarity on roles, responsibilities, and operations, while also being aligned with best practice and city policy. We regret that those negotiations were not successful and neither party was able to come to an agreement on how we can continue the partnership moving forward.
“We wish Beyond Fences nothing but success in the future, and in independently hosting Barktoberfest in years to come. Durham Parks and Recreation is committed to continuing to provide high-quality canine events, including one this fall, that the whole community (and especially our four-legged friends) will enjoy. We continue to work with and welcome partners to be a part of our upcoming free, community-centered event which will be announced in the coming weeks.”
The statement is also posted to the department’s Barktoberfest webpage.
The city has not responded to questions from The N&O about the upcoming events planned in place of the festival or how Beyond Fences was notified of the information.
Mike Woodard, a former Durham City Council member and former state legislator, said he is “disappointed” in how the city handled communication about the cancellation.
“I just don’t feel you drop a partner without some conversation,” he said in a phone call. “To treat a nonprofit partner who had done such great work with the city, I’m very disappointed in city administration for handling it that way.”
Woodard said he helped establish the partnership between group and the city, with the city handling things like blocking off streets and setting up stages for performances, and Beyond Fences getting sponsorships and connections with other advocacy groups.
“We worked hard to bring this merger and, it was, in some ways, I think an ideal partnership,” he said. “Beyond Fences is going to have to start over and rebuild Barktoberfest. … I don’t get the rationale.”
Despite the setback, Hensley said the organization’s core mission remains unchanged.
“Tomorrow, we’ll be back out in the community delivering veterinary care and supplies to help our community members who are struggling,” she said. “That’s what we’ve done for 20 years, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing.”
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This story was originally published August 5, 2026 at 5:30 PM.