Pet Rock 2012 Brings the Best Animal Fest to New England
With Musical Headliner the Pousette-Dart Band
Worcester, Massachusetts: The 14th Annual Pet Rock Festival will take place Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012 [rain date, Sept. 16] from noon to 5 p.m., at Quinsigamond Community College, 670 West Boylston St., Worcester. Tickets: $13 adults, $5 kids.
With this year’s festival sponsor PetCo, Pet Rock is the largest animal expo on the East Coast. A daylong festival of fund raising fun for the entire family, including your dog, Pet Rock’s primary purpose is to promote responsible pet ownership, bring attention to animal cruelty and educate humans on a variety of animal related issues. Proceeds benefit New England animal welfare organizations. Pet Rock has given tens of thousands to worthy charities, including the Sterling Animal Shelter, the ASPCA Bird Program, Foster Parrots, Humane Society of the US: Youth, NEADS, the MSPCA, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Mass Vest A Dog, Foster Parrots, Commonwealth Cats, Echo Dog and many more.
Pet Rock Fest boasts live music, vendors, a food court sponsored by the Boston Vegetarian Society, a “kind kids” booth, animal mascots, games, prizes, raffles, speakers, rides and more than 200 breed rescues, shelters and animal welfare organizations.
Our entertainment sponsor is PetSmart, and this year’s headliner is the Pousette-Dart Band, Heather Maloney, along with local bands to be announced. The Pousette-Dart Band, led by Jon Pousette-Dart carved a place in the landscape of American music in the 1970s. They were a mainstay of album radio, a favorite on the college circuit, and became one of the busiest touring groups in the US working with such acts as The Byrds, Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, The Eagles and James Taylor.
The Worcester Telegram and Gazette is producing a program guide to be included in its Thursday edition, and also handed out at the festival.
But at Pet Rock, your pet is the star of the day! (Your dog is more than welcome, but for safety reasons we ask that other pets stay home). There are contests rabies clinic, doggie massages, agility course, K9 demos by Mass Vest-a-Dog, amateur dog show (with categories such as “owner-dog look alike” and “best vocalist”), New England Frisbee Dog Group, adoptable pet parade with prizes for participating rescues, professional photos portraits of your pet, cat photo contest and the popular doggie water park.
The purpose: to promote kindness to animals, raise funds and awareness of animal welfare issues and inform the public how they can help our furry friends.
Remember, they can’t talk, so we will.
Celebrating 14 years, Pet Rock Fest is the largest event of its kind in the Northeast, an annual festival that promotes kindness to animals and responsible pet ownership. Pet Rock Fest, held in September each year, is a family festival that features guest speakers, vegetarian food, live music, games, events, a raffle, vendors, and hundreds of area animal welfare organizations. Pet Rock is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Donations are tax deductible.
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If you’d like more information, visit www.petrockfest.com.
