Is Groomcation the Most Insane Dog Grooming Event in the World?

We're not saying Groomcation is the most insane dog grooming event in the world.

But at this point, we're also not entirely sure what else to call it.

What happens when you take professional dog grooming education, move it into a massive private castle estate, bring in some of the grooming industry's most recognizable educators, and then start adding pools, bowling alleys, hidden rooms, live entertainment, themed parties, animals and experiences nobody expects to encounter at a grooming event?

Apparently, you get Groomcation.

And somehow, every Groomcation seems to get a little more ridiculous.

This Is Definitely Not a Normal Grooming Convention

Education has always been at the heart of Groomcation.

Professional groomers come together to learn new techniques, improve their skills, talk business, meet educators and connect with other people who understand this very unusual industry.

But then we started asking:

What else can we do?

And that's where things tend to get out of hand.

Groomcation has become known for combining serious professional grooming education with experiences attendees probably didn't expect when they bought a ticket to a grooming event.

You might be learning from an internationally recognized grooming educator one minute and wondering why there's an exotic animal at breakfast the next.

That's kind of the point.

Groomcation 2027 Is Taking Over a Castle

For Groomcation 2027, we're taking over Hilltop Castle Estates in Beach Lake, Pennsylvania, from May 31 through June 4, 2027.

The approximately 30,000-square-foot private estate includes a castle, mansion and farmhouse.

And we're not simply holding classes there.

Attendees are living there.

For five days, Groomcation attendees will eat, learn, sleep, explore and experience the event together across the property.

The estate itself includes multiple swimming pools, hot tubs, saunas, bowling alleys, movie theaters, an indoor basketball court, mini golf, arcades, billiards, a fitness and yoga studio, miles of trails and even hidden escape rooms.

And that's before Groomcation starts adding anything.

Kangaroos? Capybaras? Why Not?

Groomcation has never been particularly interested in doing what people expect.

Animal experiences have become part of the ideas being developed for Groomcation 2027, with everything from kangaroos and capybaras to a horse appearing in the plans and conversations surrounding the Castle Edition.

Because apparently professional grooming education wasn't enough.

The goal isn't simply to add random things for shock value. Each experience is designed to become part of the larger world of that particular Groomcation.

And because plans can evolve, attendees have learned that part of the fun is not knowing exactly what might happen next.

Then There's the Actual Grooming Education

Underneath all of the insanity is a serious professional education event.

Groomcation 2027 is bringing together respected educators from across the professional grooming industry for demonstrations, discussions, business education and hands-on learning.

The event is planned to include multiple grooming demonstrations, an educator panel, hands-on grooming education, Pet CPR and First Aid certification opportunities and business-focused education.

Attendees aren't choosing between education and an experience.

The idea is to give them both.

And Somehow There's a Whole Story Happening Too

Because apparently the castle wasn't dramatic enough, Groomcation 2027 also has its own immersive storyline.

The Tale of the Golden Shears brings the Hilltop Castle Edition into a world of kings, knights and the legendary Golden Shears.

Elements of the story will appear throughout the Groomcation experience, turning parts of the property and entertainment into something closer to stepping inside a story than attending a traditional professional conference.

You may come to Groomcation to learn how to groom dogs.

You may also somehow end up involved in a medieval legend.

We don't make the rules.

Actually, we do.

That might be the problem.

Every Groomcation Gets Bigger

That's become part of Groomcation.

Each event starts with the question:

How do we top the last one?

And then someone has an idea.

Then somebody has another idea.

Then suddenly we're researching whether you can have kangaroos at a grooming event in Pennsylvania.

Groomcation continues to evolve because it was never designed to be the same event repeated year after year.

Different destination.

Different experiences.

Different surprises.

Different memories.

The professional grooming education remains at the center of it all, but everything surrounding that education can change completely.

So… Is Groomcation the Craziest Grooming Event in the World?

We genuinely don't know.

There are grooming shows, conventions, competitions, seminars and educational events all over the world.

And then there's Groomcation.

A multi-day professional dog grooming event where you might attend a world-class grooming demonstration, earn a certification, eat an incredible dinner, bowl with another groomer, explore a hidden room, meet an unexpected animal and somehow find yourself participating in a medieval story before going to bed inside a castle.

And that's just what we know about ahead of time.

At Groomcation, you never really know what's going to happen next.

That's exactly how we like it.