Special street festival will celebrate the SF SPCA’s 150th anniversary
September 24, 2018 – Come celebrate the San Francisco SPCA’s 150th anniversary during their “Cuddle Me Festival”, a daylong event chock full of entertainment, activities, and opportunities to hang out with animals! The festival will be hosted on Rescue Row, the block on Alabama Street between 15th and 16th Streets, on Saturday, October 13, 10:00am – 3:00pm. All animals will be free to adopt that day!
In keeping with the “Cuddle Me” theme, adorable, adoptable animals will be available for snuggles inside the Purina Kitten Dome and the Puppy Lounge, and there will be rotating activities inside the Cuddle Me Cat Lounge.
“We’re celebrating 150 years of serving San Francisco’s animals and the people who love them,” said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, SF SPCA President. “We have something for everyone at this festival. Come check out the entertainment, learn about our lifesaving work, and connect with your community. You might just meet your new best friend!”
Throughout the day guests can enjoy vegetarian food trucks, a beer garden, and live performances by Sonic Caravan, Junk Parlor, and Marky Enriquez aka Proof.
Legendary Heklina will be hosting a Doggie Drag Show costume contest! The fierce on-stage competition begins at noon, after a special 11:30am performance by Heklina. Enter your posh pooch for a chance at amazing prizes! After the competition, test you animal knowledge at Big Quiz Trivia, hosted inside the beer garden.
Stop by the Cuddle Me Cat Lounge throughout the day for special feline-themed activities:
- 10:00am and 10:45am: Yoga with Cats and Kids – special 30-minute classes for kids and their guardians (tickets required)
- 11:30am: Yoga with Cats (tickets required)
- 12:30pm: Cat Café hosted by Community Medicine – come have a sip while learning about the SF SPCA’s Community Medicine Team
- 2:00pm: Meet Duke, the amazing therapy cat, and learn about the SF SPCA’s Animal Assisted Therapy work
- All Day: CatVideoFest, featuring the best cat videos of the year!
Ready to get artsy? Paint a portrait of your favorite fur-iend during one of two special Paint Your Pet workshops. Advanced registration required before October 6. Want a more permanent memento? San Francisco’s most talented tattoo artists will be at the ready! Step into our tattoo parlor for some ink.
“Special events like this are more than just a fun day out, they also help our shelter animals get in front of potential adopters who might not otherwise visit the shelter,” explained Dr. Scarlett. “We’re waiving adoption fees for qualified adopters, and hoping to find loving homes for as many animals as possible!”
The event is free and open to the public. Learn more and RSVP at sfspca.org/cuddleme
About the San Francisco SPCA
The San Francisco SPCA is an independent, community-supported, non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving, protecting and providing immediate care for cats and dogs who are homeless, ill or in need of an advocate. The SF SPCA also works long-term to educate the community, reduce the number of unwanted kittens and puppies through spaying and neutering, and improve the quality of life for animals and their human companions. The organization does not receive government funding and is not affiliated with any national organization.
For more information, call the SF SPCA at (415) 554-3000 or visit sfspca.org.
Nestle Purina PetCare Company
Many thanks to our longtime supporter, Nestle Purina PetCare Company. Purina believes pets and people are better together, which is why they support events like the Cuddle Me Festival. But their support doesn’t start and stop with events; Purina supports the SF SPCA’s mission to put pets and the people who love them together every day. Purina generously donates all of the food and litter for the 5,000+ animals at the SF SPCA waiting for loving people like you to take them home. Meow, woof, thank you Purina!