Edmonton went to the cats – and that’s a good thing!
Because there is no kitten out there when it comes to Canada’s longest-running celebration of our furry friends (and non-furry ones too—looking at you, Canadian Sphynx).
The 10th anniversary of the Edmonton International Cat Festival on Saturday saw hundreds of cat people – and dog people who don’t yet know they love cats – gather at the MacEwan Robbins Health Learning Center in downtown of the city.
The milestone anniversary was made even more special after Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi declared May 25, 2024 as “Cat Day” in Alberta’s capital.
The all-day event featured activities such as a kitty maze, a cat art exhibit, temporary cat tattoos, a long list of feline-related vendors, cat crafts, a nap zone, cat cafes, and a board game room for cats.
There were also rescue booths, with cats up for adoption at various rescue shelters, and several talks and workshops (such as feline first aid, FIP awareness, how to have a cat Instagram account and much more).
In attendance were three famous cats with online followers totaling several million: One Eared One (2.9 million on TikTok); B.C. BenBen (685 thousand on Instagram); and Alberta itself Gary’s Great Grams (621,000 on Instagram). There were photo shoots, meet-and-greets and even Q&As with the famous cats.
Festival organizers say all proceeds raised will be donated to Community Cats Edmonton, Enoch Animal Services and Greater Edmonton Animal Rescue Society (GEARS).
“Since 2014, the Edmonton Cat Festival has raised $146,000 for rescues, helping to improve the well-being of homeless cats, helping them find forever homes and helping to manage the feral cat population in the region,” they said. the organizers.
The event was hosted by CityNews Edmonton’s own Carly Robinson.
The Edmonton International Cat Festival was one of a long list of events celebrating Cat Month in the city, which included cat yoga, a cat food cooking class and a cat party. Next weekend there will be a cat meet-up in the downtown park (June 1) and a sip ‘n purr event (June 2).
More information about the festival and other events can be found here.
