AKC Conformation · West Springfield, Massachusetts
Riverhead / Queensboro
October 22–25, 2026 — four days at The Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts
Weekend at a glance
Four days of AKC all-breed shows at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts: Riverhead Kennel Club on Thursday and Sunday, Queensboro Kennel Club on Friday and Saturday. Despite the Long Island club names, this weekend is confirmed in Massachusetts — not New York.
- Dates
- October 22–25, 2026
- Venue
- Eastern States Exposition (“The Big E”)
- Host clubs
- Riverhead Kennel Club · Queensboro Kennel Club
- Format
- All-Breed, four days
- Entries
- Closing October 7, 2026
Click here to enter → - Premium list
- 2026 premium list — Riverhead KC (Oct 22 & 25) + Queensboro KC (Oct 23 & 24) 2026 (PDF) Verified 2026
More about this show
Dates & venue verified 2026 premium published · Dates & club verified via premium
- Dates
- Thursday through Sunday
- Venue
- 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA 01089
- Entries
- 12:00 noon ET — fees published
Premium published
Superintendent: MB-F
Enter the show
Entry fees are per dog, per show.
- Superintendent
- MB-F
- Closing
- October 7, 2026, at 12:00 noon ET
- Fees
- $36.00 first entry, $30.00 each additional entry of the same dog; Junior Showmanship no fee
- Premium
- 2026 premium list (PDF)
The days
| Day | Show |
|---|---|
| Thu, Oct 22 | Riverhead Kennel Club — All-Breed |
| Fri, Oct 23 | Queensboro Kennel Club — All-Breed |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Queensboro Kennel Club — All-Breed |
| Sun, Oct 25 | Riverhead Kennel Club — All-Breed |
Today’s Ring Card
Your show-day schedule, saved by date.
Judging program not yet published
No ring times or ring assignments have been verified yet. Ring cards will be built from the official program as soon as it’s out.
Breed judge finder
32 verified Best in Show and Variety Group assignments from the 2026 premium list. Verified 2026
Breed-by-breed panels will be added from the judging program when it is published.
Only verified assignments are listed here. We never guess judges.
Juniors
Junior Showmanship is offered all four days of the Howl-O-Ween Weekend. Verified 2026
Thu Oct 22 — Riverhead KC
Junior Showmanship — offered; judge Mr. Nathaniel Horn.
Fri Oct 23 — Queensboro KC
Junior Showmanship — offered; judge Mrs. Cindy Meyer.
Sat Oct 24 — Queensboro KC
Junior Showmanship — offered; judge Mrs. Alessandra R. Folz.
Sun Oct 25 — Riverhead KC
Junior Showmanship — offered; judge Mrs. Patricia V. Trotter.
The AKC National Owner-Handled Series runs all four days, with 4 & Under 6 Months Puppy competitions each day. No Pee Wee class is listed for this weekend.
Specialties & supported entries
Boxers headline the Howl-O-Ween Weekend specialties. Verified 2026
Thu Oct 22 & Sun Oct 25 — Boxer specialty
Connecticut Boxer Club — specialty Thursday and Sunday.
Thu Oct 22 & Sun Oct 25 — supported entries
Heart of New England Chihuahua Club and Poodle Club of Massachusetts support the Thursday and Sunday Riverhead KC shows.
Additional specialty treatment for the Middlesex Boxer Club, Labrador Retriever Club of Long Island, and American Boxer Club is published in the premium — see the premium for day-by-day details.
Plan your visit
Find the venue
The venue
Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA 01089
West Springfield, MA
Dog-friendly lodging
- Hilton Garden Inn Springfield — 800 Hall of Fame Ave., Springfield, MA 01105. Phone: 413-886-8000. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- Comfort Inn & Suites — No address or city given on the venue site. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- Holiday Inn Express — No address or city given on the venue site. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- Residence Inn & Suites — No address or city given on the venue site. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
Always confirm the pet policy when booking.
Flying in
- BDL — Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, about 15 miles / ~20 minutes away.
Restaurants
- Liquori's Pizza (dog-friendly; outdoor seating; Lunch, Dinner) — 659 Westfield St, West Springfield. Pizza and pasta spot; leashed dogs welcome at two outdoor tables; open about 10 AM-9 PM.
- Taste of Lebanon (dog-friendly; outdoor seating; Lunch, Dinner) — 553 Main St, West Springfield. Middle Eastern restaurant with five pet-friendly outdoor tables; open about 9 AM-9 PM.
Attractions
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue, Springfield, MA 01105. Museum and hall of fame in the birthplace of basketball.
Venue guide — shared by every show at this location. Last verified 2026-09-25. Per-show details for this weekend (RV, admission, grooming) will be added here when confirmed.
The venue
The weekend — billed in the premium as the Howl-O-Ween Weekend Dog Shows — is held at the Eastern States Exposition Center, Better Living Center, 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA 01089. Show hours are 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM each day. Access to the grounds is through Gate 9 only, and no food or beverage may be brought into the buildings.
Parking
The Big E charges $5.00 per day for cars and $40.00 per day for campers at all events on the grounds.
Documents
Official documents for this weekend. Verified 2026
- 2026 premium list (PDF) — Howl-O-Ween Weekend — Riverhead KC (Thu/Sun) and Queensboro KC (Fri/Sat), Oct 22–25 Verified 2026
Sources
- SourceAKC Event Search — October 24, 2026 West Springfield, MA seminar held in conjunction with Queensboro Kennel Club (verified September 24, 2026)
- SourceBest in Show Entry Service — all four 2026 shows listed under Massachusetts all-breed shows (verified September 24, 2026)
- Official2026 premium list — Howl-O-Ween Weekend Dog Shows (PDF)