@britishbrothers
Do feel that rumbling? Kinda sounds like a purr, but it’s not. It’s a groundswell.
We are witnessing a mewvment.
A few years ago, The Walker Arts Center debuted the hisstorical (and hissterical) Internet Cat Video Festival which drew tens of thousands of feline-loving fans. The festival toured the United States, leading to the now gone-but-not-furgotten Feline Film Festival in Los Angeles. CatCon then pounced onto the scene, taking the cat-themed festivities to a whole other level. Now, in the next few months, there will be 9 – yes, 9 – cat conventions.
1. CATSBURY PARK CONVENTION (New Jersey, April 7-8, 2018)
Since most cats would prefur to stay home and not travel for meet-and-greets, it’s usually the same celebricats who show up to every event. So we’re really excited that the Catsbury Park Convention has invited the always amewsing Teddy and Dexter of the Hobbikats. We can’t wait to “hang out” with them!
Teddy and Dexter
The convention includes a weekend of cat trivia, cat bingo, a cat art show, activities, games, vendors, seminars and purresentations.
2. JACKSON GALAXY’S CAT CAMP (New York, May 5-6)
Who doesn’t love the Cat Daddy? Lil Bub, The Kitten Lady and Jackson Galaxy himself lead the feline-up at this year’s mewsworthy event. There will be panels focusing on special needs cats, TNR and using social media to help feline welfare.
Jackson Galaxy and furriend
Purrk: To help raise awareness for animal advocacy non-profit groups, senior and special needs cats, The Petco Foundation has grrraciously funded admission to the event’s adoption center, making it free to the public for the weekend.
3. THE EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL CAT FEST (Canada, May 26)
The fest will feature cat yoga, cat videos and various cat vendors. You can also meet-and-greet celebricats White Coffee Cat and Nala Cat, the most popular cat on Instagram with 3.5M followers.
White Coffee Cat and Nala
This cat festival will donate 100% of its purroceeds back to local rescue organizations like the Edmonton Humane Society, Little Cats Lost, Safe Team Rescue and Zoe’s Animal Rescue. This makes us purr with delight!
4. CATFEST (London, July 14)
Festivalgoers can shop for cat-inspired products, sip kitty-themed cocktails and get glammed up at the Glamour Puss beauty bar. Have fun connecting with feline expurrts and cat lovers, watch cat videos and listen to talks from animal advo-cats and bestselling writers.
Artemis & Apollo, Maine Coon superstars
In addition to the rescue cats in the adoption lounge, the fest will feature 5 meet-and-greet kitties: Maine Coon superstars Artemis & Apollo, supermeowdel Starina, Tilderbeast, and Prince Renegade, one of the mascots of the Katzenworld blog.
5. Meow Meetup Chicago (July 21-22)
Celebrate cats with The Catnip Times’ big feline festival, the largest cat convention in the Midwest. Stop by the Pumpurr Parlour, have some catpuccino at the Cat Cafe or watch a catio demonstration. And don’t furget to stick around for the Cat Video Festival purrsented by supercatstars Cole & Marmalade!
Eddie Meownster
We applaud Meow Meetup for scheduling meet-and-greets with local cat-lebrities like Eddie Meownster, above. Other cats on the roster include Chuck the Duck and Sinbad the Survivor.
6. Kittydelphia (Philadelphia, July 28-29)
This pop-up cat fair, the purrsonal passion project of Internet Cats Olive & Rye, returns for its second year to raise money for the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).
Sophie the Model
The event will feature cat art, cat toys, cat-themed apparel… and, of course, cats. Adoptable cats and well as celebricats like Sophie the Model and Blossom and her family. Keep checking the Kittydelphia website for updates as they continue to fur-m up their schedule.
7. Meowfest (Vancouver, July 29)
The folks behind Meowbox are hosting “the ultimate festival for cat lovers” featuring celebrity cats, food trucks, speakers, entertainment, shopping, adoptable cats and meowr.
BenBen
Scheduled guests include The Kitten Lady, Nala Cat, The Cat Photographer, Luna Rose, Pudge, Klaus, and my purrsonal fav, BenBen the saddest cat on the internet. Cheer up, BenBen, you’ve got so many fans who can’t wait to get your pawtograph!
8. CatCon (Los Angeles, August 4 -5)
CatCon, the convention with cattitude, returns to the Pasadena Convention Center this summer. CatCon purrmiered 4 years ago and since then, others have followed in its pawprints.
This year, Merlin Ragdoll will make his debut at CatCon and we’re su-purr excited about that! There will also be meet-and-greets with Moshow (best known as “the guy who raps in the bathtub with his cat”), famed feral cat rescuer The Trap King and special needs su-purrstar Sir Thomas Trueheart.
9. POP Cats (Austin, Texas, August 25-26)
POP Cats is the only convention we know of where you’re allowed to bring your cat, should your cat like that sort of thing. There will even be a custom-designed playground for them to romp around in.
Feline adventurous? Get a cattoo from Betty Rose Tattoos, who will be there on site. The 2-day convention purromises to celebrate “all things cat” in art and pop culture with exhibitors like Cat Lady Box, Fangurly and Nine Lives Twine. Celebrity cats TBA.
