Jackson Galaxy's Cat Camp 2019 Returns to NYC!

I love cat themed conventions! An event with hundreds of happy, cat loving people is filled with amazing, positive energy. For a writer, the opportunities for connections and inspirations are boundless. I attended the inaugural Cat Camp NYC in March of 2017 with friends Laura Zaccardi of Squeedunk Cats and Deb Barnes of Zee and Zoey and had the best time! I had been blogging for a little over two years at that point and still wasn't comfortable "putting myself out there." I pushed myself during the event and as a result, I made wonderful connections with wonderful people. 

One of those connections was with Tina Traster, Director and Producer of Catnip Nation. That first encounter led to Tina contributing semi-regular guest posts on the progress of the Catnip Nation film and the plight of feral cats. This was a popular column with my readers, which also won a Certificate of Excellence from CWA.

It's probably no surprise that my favorite part was the adoption area. Two shelters/rescues that I followed on social media, Patricia H. Ladew Foundation and Best Friends Society, were present. I was able to speak to both of them and scheduled a behind the scenes tour with both of them. My post on the Ladew Cats was another Certificate of Excellence winner! 

In 2018 one of the first vendors I met was Tammy Olley of MYLAP Pet Bed. We made an immediate connection and I reviewed her wonderful pet bed. BTW, this is Lexy's favorite spot in the world now! 

I also spent quite a bit of time speaking to the wonderful volunteers at the Brooklyn Cat Cafe and scheduled a visit there for my Lola on the Road series. That post was another Certificate of Excellence winner! 

I met other wonderful people as well, and I apologize for anybody I left out. Did I mention I met Jackson Galaxy in 2017? I didn't? Well, I did! 

What is Cat Camp? 

Cat Camp NYC is now Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp, the premier cat-celebrating event in the country for cat lovers of all stripes. It is a weekend-long adventure all about exploring and celebrating your love for cats. The immersive experience with a summer camp-like atmosphere will include a cat cafe, cat yoga, speakers, arts & crafts, adoptable cats, workshops and more! Cat Camp is about celebrating cats, connecting with our community, and cultivating advocacy. Attendees will enjoy a line-up of engaging educational presentations, interactive workshops, adorable adoptable cats and a vast array of cat merchandise.

This feline-focused festival was founded by Christina Ha, who is also the founder of New York City's first cat cafe, Meow Parlour, to bring cat lovers of all kinds together under one roof to meet their idols of the cat world, shop for every kind of cat swag imaginable, discuss how people can collectively do more to help our feline friends, and - most importantly - to have fun mingling with fellow cat aficionados! Last year, as a result of the event, animal rescue groups in attendance placed 75 cats who were featured in the adoption area into loving “furever” homes, and over $10,000 was raised for the non-profit groups involved. Now that warms my heart! 

Meow Parlour storefront.

Cat Camp 2019

This year's event will take place at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC’s Chelsea neighborhood, located at 125 W 18th St. in Manhattan. Hours are from 10am-7pm on Saturday, June 1 and from 9:30am - 6:00pm on Sunday, June 2. For the first time ever there will be an on-site cat cafe (courtesy of Meow Parlour. Can we say Me-wow?) as well as at least a dozen local adoption organizations.

The informational talks and panels will continue to be an integral part of the event. There's a fantastic line up this year, which you can view here. Cat Camp is generously sponsored by the Petco Foundation, a valued longtime partner of Meow Parlour and supporter of animal welfare, rescue efforts, and advocacy. Thanks to Petco, all talks and panels are open to general admission ticket holders! 

And if you're going just to shop, there are tons of vendors. Check them out here. 

Still, need your tickets? Better get them before they sell out! Click here for the ticket sales page. 

To stay up to date with announcements, make sure to follow Jackson Galaxy's Cat Camp on social media. 

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  

I had a press pass for both 2017 and 2018 and will have one this year as well. This will be an exciting year for me because I'll be volunteering for a couple of hours at the Jackson Galaxy Project's table which I'm really looking forward to! 

I can't wait to see what this year's Cat Camp brings for my blog. I hope to see you there if you're in the area! 

Tell me, have you ever been to a cat themed event? 

Dawn