Buttonwood Park went to the dogs -- and music lovers -- for a good cause on August 25 and 26: A newly expanded two-day Odiepalooza music and food truck festival.

The two-day festival was jam packed with 16 musical acts, dozens of vendors, food trucks, and, of course, plenty of pets. The price of admission? Free.

It was all the idea of Dartmouth’s Brian Harrington, who also runs Odie’s Place Animal Rescue.

“I am essentially taking all the famous festivals in this area, and combining them,” Harrington said. “People loved the food truck festival right? They loved the folk festival, right? Why don’t we combine the two?”

In addition to family fun, the festival also serves as Odie's Place's largest fundraising event of the year.

“This is our biggest event; it’s our Super Bowl,” Harrington said. “The goal is to donate, that’s the goal: Donate, donate donate.”

The nonprofit organization's journey began in 2014 in the face of tragedy. When Harrington and his wife Kerrie lost their shelter dog, Otis, they knew they needed to do something more than reminisce in memories.

And so Odie's Place Animal Rescue was born, with a mission to help pets with nowhere else to go get a second chance at life with a caring family -- particularly animals with health issues who might otherwise end up in shelters unable to be adopted and ultimately euthanized.

The nonprofit organization helps fund medical care for those pets, and also coordinates a network of volunteer "foster parents" to care for dogs, cats, and other animals while a permanent home is being found.

The group’s mission relies on fundraising to succeed, however, and Harrington tends to focus on hosting large events rather than more traditional fundraising options.

The event began three years ago in Swansea, but Harrington moved it to New Bedford’s Buttonwood Park last year. It was an instant success, so he decided to keep it in New Bedford instead of rotating like had been planned, and expanded it to two days.

Harrington said so far proceeds are totaling $2,200 for Saturday, but Sunday's proceeds have not yet been calculated. Harrington thanked his sponsors, volunteers, and the some 8,000 people who attended over the two-day event for making it a success.

It will not be returning to New Bedford next year, however, as Harrington said he ran into major roadblocks while working with city officials to host the event, including an unexpected last-minute requirement to pay for police and fire details.

There is no word yet on where Odiepalooza could end up next year, although Harrington noted he had approached Dartmouth officials about hosting it several years ago but was told the town was unable to host an event of this magnitude.

A Shopapalooza vendor fair fundraiser is being organized for November.