Salem — Hundreds of dogs, breeders, handlers and enthusiasts will converge on the Salem Community Park this weekend for the annual Nutmeg Cluster Dog Show, put on as a collaboration between the St. Hubert and Windham County kennel clubs.

This is the third year that the show has been held at the Route 82 park after moving from North Stonington. This year is the 55th show for the Waterford-based St. Hubert Kennel Club, and serves as a kickoff to the outdoor dog show season.

Ivy Plis, publicity chairwoman for the club and a Waterford resident who showed Newfoundlands for years, compared the show to a country fair but just for dogs.

“It’s such a festive atmosphere, especially outside shows,” she said. “People are walking around with their dogs, all different breeds, and it’s just fun to see all the different handlers and people.”

As a show sanctioned by the American Kennel Club, purebred dogs compete for best-in-breed, best-in-group and best-in-show. There are also breed-specific specialty shows, shows for new handlers and junior handlers, and a puppy show for dogs 4 to 6 months old. There are also food trucks and vendors for dog-related items.

Pam Stedman, show chairwoman for the St. Hubert Kennel Club and a Doberman pinscher breeder in North Stonington, said all members of the club volunteer for the show in various capacities, from maintaining the grounds to coordinating parking and vendors. Preparation for the next show starts in June, and she visits other shows to see how other clubs coordinate their events.

Judi Arsenault, secretary and a Great Dane breeder in Niantic, said she meets a lot of the new and prospective handlers through answering their emails to the club, and she enjoys mentoring them. She said the shows provide a good place for people interested in a breed to interact with breeders and the dogs themselves, and the breeders can get a better understanding of whether a family will be good for their dogs.

The Nutmeg Cluster Dog Show starts at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Salem Community Park, 89 Norwich Road. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.sthubertkennelclub.org.

a.hutchinson@theday.com