Sat 9/13 @10AM-4PM
When you mention to people that you are going to attend Skunkfest, they usually look at you like you’re crazy. It’s definitely one of Northeast Ohio’s most unusual events, but animal lovers of all types should check it out.
Now in its 24th year, it takes place every September in North Ridgeville’s South Central Park (7565 Avon Belden Road). It was started by North Ridgeville resident Deb Cipriani, who operates a pet skunk rescue called Skunkhaven to re-home pet skunks (which are not taken from the wild but bred to be domestic) whose owners didn’t realize what a handful they are. She started an informal gathering for skunk owners that outgrew her back yard and turned into a public event which attracts skunk owners from all over the country.
If you attend, you’ll have a blast meeting skunks (which come in colors such as lavender, brown and apricot as well as the traditional black & white stripes) and the owners, who love to talk about their pets, as well as people dressed in skunk costumes. You can watch the crowning of the skunk king and queen, prince and princess, cheer on a favorite in the skunk costume contest, and watch the skunk races as owners plead with their pets to keep heading toward the finish line instead of stopping to naps—a scene that will seem familiar to cat owners.
There are usually other animal rescues there too. Avon Lake’s Ferrets Unlimited is a regular, and they bring some of their adoptable ferrets for people to hold and pet. In the past there have been cat, dog and tropical bird rescues, as well as therapy bunnies, a possum and a pig, so you never know what kind of critter you might encounter. (Most of the skunk owners will tell you about all of the other types of pets they have back home—these are all-purpose animal lovers.)
Skunkfest also features vendors with pet-related and skunk-themed items, craft items such as aprons, jewelry and home décor; games; raffles and a booth with human food.
Admission is a roll of paper towels per person, natural grain cereal or whatever monetary donation you’d like to give.