I'm thinking Iowa would be the best bet. I don't know if we can arrange a "private" dog park gathering though. Around here (central Iowa) there are two parks that I can think of - there's a HUGE one in Des Moines IA that you technically need a permit for. But, it's in an area where there are a lot of restaurants and doggie shopping places.
The other option is Ames, IA - it's a university town, so there are a lot of hotels. The Baymont suites in town are pet-welcoming I believe. The dog park here is a semi-private park, and no permits are required. It's small, but it can easily hold 20-30 dogs. It's basically a big fenced-in square but still nice. There are many unfenced trails and nature areas in the area as well (Peterson Pits, McCarthy Park, the Great Iowa Trail, etc.). In Ames, there are a few nice restaurants, including a FAMOUS place called Hickory Park that is designed for large, hungry parties!
PS - I will be making bandanas for all the dogs that come to the Midwest Meetup - I'm working on a design right now! they'll be snazzy, you won't want to miss them...
I need votes for color though!
QUESTION - what month works best for everyone? Should this be planned for a weekday or a weekend? Any ideas/suggestions are welcome!
I do think we should have an offleash playtime as well as a leashed walk - that way, those of us with dogs that don't play well with others can still participate.