GoldenFest
Golden Retriever Rescue of Southwest Florida will host GoldenFest X from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday at Doggy Heaven at the Shell Factory & Nature Park.
Admission and parking are free, and all breeds of well-behaved dogs are invited and welcome to attend.
The event will include vendors, exhibits, pet portraits, a dock dog diving exhibition, a doggy garage sale, refreshments, a huge raffle and silent auction, and more.
Anne Sheridan, general manager of the Shell Factory, said around a dozen vendors, mostly from other pet rescues and non-profits, will be there, as well as a mobile animal hospital.
“It’s a great day to see the beautiful golden retrievers that were rescued from Korea,” Sheridan said. “People will come very early in the morning to see all the dogs. People brings them, dress them up like them; it will be a fun day.”
Raffle and auction items will range from attraction, theater, dinner cruise and hotel tickets to rounds of golf, gift cards and lavish gift baskets. Vendors will include animal hospitals, boarding facilities, trainers, groomers, rescues and pet food companies.
There also will be a reunion tent for the golden retrievers GRRSWF has rescued from South Korea. The rescue has saved 51 goldens from South Korea since 2015 to raise awareness about the dog-meat industry that still exists in some countries. The group recently rescued two goldens from Iran as well.
“While the rescue continues to work with local shelters and humane societies, there are lovable pups in countries like South Korea who are routinely inhumanly euthanized through no fault of their own,” said GoldenFest coordinator Mark Dahlberg, who also serves as the rescue’s international rescue coordinator. “There are families here waiting and wanting to give these pups a second chance at a happy life. GRRSWF’s volunteers are excited every time they can welcome one to Southwest Florida.”
“This event is our major fundraiser of the year, so community support is vital,” said Alesia Galuppo, GRRSWF president. “It has grown enormously over the years and we expect this year’s event to be even bigger. We are grateful to the Shell Factory for providing such a dog-friendly venue and look forward to sharing the day with fellow dog lovers.”
The Shell Factory & Nature Park is at 2787 N. Tamiami Trail in North Fort Myers. The event will be at the front parking lot facing New 41.
For additional details, please visit www.grrswf.org, email info@grrswf.org or call 369-0415.