Every first Sunday in October, the Church of the Holy Spirit hosts the annual Celebration of Pets. This year, the Celebration will be held on Sunday, October 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Verona Town Hall Square at 600 Bloomfield Avenue. The date coincides with the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a day on which many houses of worship offer pet blessings.
The Celebration of Pets is a day devoted to the pets who bring us joy every day. Among the many participants at the Celebration will be rescue and adoption organizations, pet sitters, dog walkers, veterinary services, pet nutrition experts, dog trainers, the Seeing Eye Puppy Club, pet portrait painters, and many craftspeople who make pet treats, sweaters and clothes, bandanas and much, much more. The Pet Parade will take place at 2:30 p.m. Costumes are optional for the parade, and prizes will be awarded in several categories.
Music will be provided all day by Automatic Entertainment. There will be a food truck on site, a Tigger Bounce House, and a photo booth ready to take snaps of attendees and their pets. Pet blessings will be available too: ; each pet will receive a certificate of blessing.
“We’re excited to be hosting this event, which has become a Verona tradition on the first Sunday in October,” says Father Jerry Racioppi, a Verona native who is in his ninth year as rector at Holy Spirit. “This is our seventh annual Celebration of Pets. At last count we had 34 vendors who provide pet-related services and products. The Celebration of Pets is a wonderful way to celebrate the significance of God's creatures in our lives, and have some fun too.”
The event is free, and you can attend with or without a pet. If you have questions or would like a table please
contact [email protected]. There is no charge for a table, but participants are asked to register no later than September 29.
