Wrapping Up Our Pawliday Content Release!
The best part about virtual events? Our cats don’t have to leave our laps!
As the weather gets increasingly dreary (at least here in rainy Vancouver!) and we anticipate the holidays looking a little different this year, we figured everyone could use an early boost of festive cheer—but “catified,” of course!
On November 7th, 2020, we delivered a fresh new batch of meowfest Virtual content right to the comfort of your homes, this time with a holiday spin.
Hot chocolate is an essential for any holiday event! (Image: Makenna A.)
We started our Caturday mornings with a rejuvenating pilates session hosted by certified instructor Katrina Leppanen and the adoptable kitties of Catfé Vancouver, followed by a Q&A by Regional Animal Protection Society, covering their most-asked questions.
Image: Jessica S.
Stacie Bennett, owner of Sugar Love Cookie Designs and baking extraordinaire, returned with a winter-themed cookie decorating class, fuelling our excitement to start our holiday baking early.
Image: Fiona G.
General Admission ticket holders could then join in on a live no-sew cat stocking tutorial led by Kylie Johnson, creator behind Former Fibres pet beds. With Kylie’s step-by-step guidance, guests with all levels of craftiness could make an adorable stocking worth displaying by their fireplace.
Image: Ashleigh R.
Image: Olivia Canlas
Sterling “TrapKing” Davis’s Q&A on combating compassion fatigue brought together feline advocates with all levels of experience and backgrounds in feline rescue. It was a purrfectly laidback space for guests to ask Sterling questions about his years of TNR work and to share their own stories.
After the group talk, guests had the opportunity to meet Sterling in 3-minute private Zoom chats.
Madeleine Belanger, illustrator and kitten fosterer behind Considerate Cat Tarot, showed us how to create purrsonalized holiday cards for our cat-loving family and friends using basic office supplies on hand.
Image: Alicia M.
Image: D. Elias
In between video sessions, guests could get a head start on their holiday shopping with a vast selection of vendors offering meowfest-exclusive discounts. (Shopping from my couch in my comfiest PJs, without setting foot in a busy mall, and supporting small businesses? Yes, please!)
Many vendors also hosted free mini-tutorials and demos where shoppers could ask questions about products and mingle, helping them feel like they were at their booth in-purrson!
Image: Kona S., Router Cat Media
Image: Zara W., Cat Sitter Toronto
The action-packed day wrapped up with a virtual Happy Hour hosted by Scratch Out Hate and the final stretch of the scavenger hunt game, where players had the opportunity to win a prize pack of fun cat goodies from vendors.
Image: D. Elias
While many of us may have to shift our usual holiday traditions this year due to COVID-19, it was heartwarming to see the global cat community come together to learn new things, share our love for cats, and possibly create some new traditions in the meantime!
Even the doggos joined in on the fun! (Image: Alicia M.)
Thank mew to everyone who joined us in celebrating all things feline from home, while supporting hardworking animal rescues! We hope everyone has a safe and happy pawliday season.