Downtown Naperville is bringing back the dog days of summer for this year’s sculpture series.
Dogs this year’s pick…with one purrfect outlier
The Downtown Naperville Alliance announced in a Facebook post early this morning that its annual summer sculptures for 2026 will be dogs.
The pick is a repeat of the theme used in 2019, which got a paw-sitive response the first time around. Some of the “pupular” breeds from that original run will be back, including Labradors, Newfoundlands, and Siberian huskies. There will also be Doberman pinschers…and even one cool cat to be ‘purr-ched’ in the mix, with 25 sculptures in all.
“Dogs were an easy choice for this summer – they were a fan favorite many years ago, and you can’t beat the ‘dog days of summer’ theme,” said Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance. “Their smaller size gives artists more creative freedom and makes them a great keepsake for sponsor businesses.”
The feline added to the mix, Wood said, was “thanks to a cat-loving sponsor business adding their own twist.”
Sculptures scattered throughout downtown this June
They’ll all be scattered around the sidewalks of downtown Naperville, to be put in place in early June and stay up until September. Each will be sponsored by a business or organization, and will have its own signature look, thanks to the work of local artisans.
Visitors to Naperville can stroll the sidewalks and discover the dogs on their own…or they can go “fetch” a map on the Downtown Naperville website, showing all their locations. The DNA invites the public to vote for their favorite pup as well.
Featured image – File photo from 2019 dog sculpture series
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