The name says it all. MeowFest is a festival for cat lovers and feline enthusiasts. Welcoming fans of all ages and regardless if you have your own furbaby or not.
On Saturday, August 19th, 2023 cat lovers from around the globe will float to Vancouver for a day of all things feline; including music, workshops, face painting, prizes, food vendors, shopping, and adoptable kittens. All done in support of animal shelters and rescue organizations. Since their first event in 2018, MeowFest has raised $64,350 for shelter kitties.
Here ticket holders peruse through stalls and shop cat product vendors. Over 50 businesses offering cat related food, services, and products. Many passing out samples and are available for impromptu questions. This is a good way to learn and try something new for your furriest family member.
Guest will also be able to meet famous internet cats with large social media followings and their human caretakers.
There will also be guest speakers and live performances on stage including health care experts, doctors, and panel speakers. Discussing topics like feline medical emergencies and how to spot and react to them, litter box etiquette and training, and the impact cats have on your own metal health and preventing burnout. And for something a little more light hearted, there will be a cat costume fashion show as well.
Activities scheduled includes adding to a mural to help commemorate the day, getting a cat life portrait, speed dating for cat lovers, and a Scavenger Hunt for prizes.
To enter the latter, you attend the event where you will receive a game sheet. With it you collect stamps by visiting vendors and completing challenges for your chance to win prizes. Challenges include taking photos at the human-sized cat tree. And prizes include a gift card to build your own custom “catio” playpen valued at $4,000.
And as a teaser of all that is to come, we got to do some cat yoga. Participants gathered at Vancouver’s only Cat Cafe: Catfe located in Chinatown’s International Village.
This was basically an instructor led yoga class that incorporated cat movement and cat puns into regular yoga stretches and positions. From “downward facing cat”, to “cat stretch”, and the “sphynx”. All while being surrounded by cats.
Many of said movements allowed for us to bend and pet the nearest cat, as the studio was their living quarters and catnip scented toys were scattered around it. Sadly I did not get much cat attention, and ended up being deadly jealous of my friend who had a cat climb on her back for a better vantage point as she held “child’s pose”.
In short, this was a fun experience and really got me in the mood to play with some kitties. For those interested in attending the actual MeowFest, visit the link below.
Saturday, August 19th 2023
10 AM – 5 PM
Rocky Mountaineer Station
1755 Cottrell Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 2L8
