Sat 9/7 @ 10AM-4PM
We have a hard time describing to you just how much fun Skunkfest is and how you should definitely make the trip out to North Ridgeville if you are any kind of animal lover at all.
The event was founded by Deb Cipriani, a North Ridgeville resident who started a skunk rescue called Skunkhaven when she found that people enamored of owning an exotic pet were adopting these animals (which are not taken from the wild but bred to be domestic) without realizing how high-maintenance they are, and giving them up. That evolved into a casual get-together for skunk owners, which eventually became the public event called Skunkfest.
And what an event it is! Taking place outdoors in North Ridgeville’s South Central Park, it brings together skunk owners from a multi-state area, showing off their pets, which come in a multitude of colors: lavender, white, apricot and brown, as well as the traditional black & white stripes. And all the skunk owners love to talk about their critters.
But skunks aren’t the whole story. There are always other animals rescues there: over the years they’ve hosted rescues for birds, Dalmatians, greyhounds, bait dogs, ferrets and Siamese cats. There’s almost always a local shelter with kittens, and the last couple of years, there have been therapy bunnies. Expect almost anything animal-related. Last year the director of a wild animal rehab center in Kentucky brought an orphaned possum — dressed in a skunk costume!
The event also features lots of vendors, most with pet-related products as well as craft and gift items; speakers; people in skunk costumes; a skunk costume contest; and the crowning of a skunk king & queen and prince & princess. There are even skunk races, although don’t expect much excitement. When it comes to racing, skunks are like cats: the races often feature the owner begging a recalcitrant skunk to please start running.
Admission fee for the public is a role of paper towels, natural grain cereal or a cash donation.
North Ridgeville, OH 44039