Catherine’s Butterfly Party, a free family festival with pet adoption event, returns Saturday, June 8, from noon to 4 pm, at Fairfield Hills Campus (3 Primrose Street).

The fifth annual community event, hosted by the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, celebrates the life of Catherine Hubbard, who lost her life during the Sandy Hook School shooting, and will benefit the foundation’s development of the new animal sanctuary in Newtown. This year, the event celebrates its five-year milestone and also falls on an extra special day — June 8 — which would have been Catherine’s 13th birthday. Learn more about the event at bit.ly/ButterflyParty2019 and watch a video about the progress of the sanctuary at youtu.be/BoR6O4VQoJI.

Jenny Hubbard, Catherine’s mother, spoke about the inspiration behind this annual event.

“Catherine had a natural ability to connect with and care for animals. She loved being in their presence and would whisper to them, ‘Tell all your friends I am kind.’ Every year, Catherine asked for a birthday party that would bring all of her favorite creatures together, and with Catherine’s Butterfly Party, that wish is fulfilled.”

Last year, more than 6,000 attended the event and more than 70 homeless animals found “fur-ever” homes. This year’s Butterfly Party will feature 28-plus animal rescue organizations, more than 100 adoptable pets, live wildlife demonstrations, pet-related vendors, local artisans, food trucks, live music, entertainment, and endless activities for kids.

The event brings to life sanctuary programs and initiatives while construction is planned for the physical CVH Animal Sanctuary, an expansive 34-acre destination for animal health, education, and welfare. Upon completion, the sanctuary at 3 Old Farm Road, will be home to a state of the art veterinary intake facility, a companion and farm animal refuge, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center, and education center offering animal and nature programming for the public.

In March, preliminary site work for phase one construction of the sanctuary began, with the building of a retaining wall for the 12,000-square-foot native Butterfly Garden. The garden will provide a crucial food and migration space for butterfly species and pollinators.

Butterfly Party Event Highlights:

*28-plus regional animal shelters & rescues featuring more than 100 adoptable animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, parrots, horses, and more;

*Personalities from Connoisseur Media’s WEZN-FM Star 99.9 and live music from LaFrance Acoustic;

*Live K-9 demonstrations;

*Educational seminars and demonstrations by Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory, Backyard Bees “Bee Kind,” Animal Embassy, Audubon at Bent of the River, Connecticut Audubon Society of Fairfield, Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy, Horizon Wings Raptor Rehabilitation & Education, Monarch Landing, and more;

*“Ask the Vet” with Maple Ridge Animal Clinic;

*Face painting, games, and crafts;

*Pet portraits and butterfly photo booth

*Vendors featuring pet-related products for purchase, local artisans, and custom jewelry;

*Food trucks, treats, and snacks galore.

This year’s animal rescue and shelter partners include: A Pups’s Pizzazz Rescue, Adopt-a-Dog Inc, American Horse Project, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, ASPCA, BARC-CT, BeCAUSE 4 Paws, Beech Brook Farm Equine Rescue, BeFreegle Foundation, Companion Pet Rescue, Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue, Connecticut Greyhounds Adoption, Connecticut Humane Society, Connecticut Parrot Rescue, Danbury Animal Welfare Society, Gimme Shelter Animal Rescue, House Rabbit Connection Inc, Little Black Dog Rescue, Long Island Bulldog Rescue, One Dog at a Time Rescue, Perfect Imperfections Rescue, PetRescue, Pets Alive, Red Leash Rescue, Rising Starr Horse Rescue, ROAR, Rowanwood Farm, Thank Dog Rescue, Town & Country K-9 Rescue, and Animal Support: Connecticut Votes for Animals and Connecticut SART (Connecticut State Animal Response Team).

For more information on Catherine’s Butterfly Party, sponsorship opportunities, or to learn more about the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, visit cvhfoundation.org.