On September 21, the third annual Creatures Great & Small Festival will host eleven animal rescue and welfare groups from throughout Central Virginia at the Scottsville Pavilion. Hailing from Lovingston, Waynesboro, Palmyra, Charlottesville, Esmont, Troy, and Ruckersville, the exhibiting groups will be showcasing a large array of animals available for adoption or fostering.
There will be goats, geese and a pony from Feel Better Farm, horses and pigs from Gallastar Equine Rescue, a mini-donkey from the Madison-Greene Humane Society, Shetland sheepdogs from Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue and more. And, of course, there will be adoptable dogs, cats, puppies and kittens from Caring for Creatures Animal Sanctuary, the Fluvanna SPCA, Almost Home Adoption Center, Cat Action Team, Green Dogs Unleashed and Finally Home Animal Haven.
The 12-noon-to-4pm Festival will also offer visitors many other activities. They can bring their pets to an ongoing Blessing of the Animals hosted by Pastor Laura Stratton from the Scottsville United Methodist Church. They can view outstanding wildlife art by painter Marti Reed of the Shenandoah Valley Art Center and bid in a silent auction for one of her masterful creations. They can cast their votes in a Best Festival Exhibit contest. They can enjoy tasty food in a covered picnic-like setting while listening to live music performed by Four Hits and a Miss from 2pm to 3:30pm. And they can take advantage of numerous opportunities for animal selfie photos and meet-and-greets with creatures at several petting pens.
A five-dollars-a-ticket Festival Mega-Raffle will be held to benefit the exhibiting groups. Prizes will be gift certificate bundles from local merchants worth $250, $150 and $100. The raised funds will be distributed at the end of the day to the groups based on the ballot results of the Best Festival Exhibit contest.
The third annual Creatures Great & Small Festival is being organized by the Scottsville-based James River Good Works Group.
“We’re looking forward to an even better show than last year,” said Festival organizer Alexander Stone. “The funds raised and the exposure provided by this year’s Festival should definitely help abandoned and abused animals in Central Virginia.”
The free admission Festival runs from 12 noon to 4pm, and pets are welcome. For more info, go to james-river-good-works-group.square.site.
Submitted by Alexander Stone
