Cat lovers to gather at Cat Camp this weekend

Hundreds of cat lovers and cat gurus are expected to gather at a Cat Camp this weekend at the JULEP Venue, not far from the San Diego airport.

The feline-focused festival made a splash in New York City and Las Vegas and is slated to bring a weekend of cat education and entertainment featuring cat advocates, educators and celebrities.

This year’s focus is on sharing stories and fostering connections. Attendees can meet fellow cat aficionados and their favorite cat advocates and educators.

The show is hosted by Jackson Galaxy, aka “The Cat Daddy,” and Christina Ha, co-founder of New York City’s Meow Parlour. Ha created Cat Camp, now known as Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp, founded in 2017.

Galaxy, an animal advocate and cat expert, is executive producer and host of Animal Planet’s show “My Cat From Hell.” The Jackson Galaxy Project, a program of Greater Good Charities, aims to “reduce the number of animals in shelters, improve the lives of at-risk animals and help the people who care for them.”

The lineup of presenters include Kitten Lady Hannah Shaw, rescuer, humane educator and New York Times bestselling author; Courtney Gustafson of PoetsSquareCats; and Caroline Grace, founder and director of Los Angeles-based Baby Kitten Rescue that specializes in neonatal, critical care and special needs; San Diego Humane Society’s director of Nursery and Placement, Jackie Noble, who has a master’s degree in zoology from the University of Glasgow, Scotland; Amber Schlieder, executive director of ARE Animal Rescue; and Andrew Marttila, professional animal photographer, who with his fiancee, Hannah Shaw, co-founded the nonprofit Orphan Kitten Club.

Highlights include shopping for swag and mingling with fellow cat lovers while learning about cats and how to become their advocates in the community.

The event, sponsored by the nonprofit Petco Love, is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the JULEP Venue, 1735 Hancock St. Tickets are from $40 (ages 8-17) to $200 ( VIP) and are limited. There is a 25 percent off promotion on tickets with code “CatCamp25” at checkout on catcamp.com.

Note that cats are not allowed at the event.