JoeFest, A Cat Story, Part 3

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​JoeFest, A Cat Story, Part 3

...Continued from yesterday:
       My mate Tom and I arrived at  Whetstone Park in Clintonville on Saturday at  3:30 pm laden with the corn hole and giant Jenga sets that it had been our job to pick up from the friends of the friends (see previous post).
       We wound our way through the park, making a couple of false turns before we finally found the picnic shelter set back in a pleasant grove of shade trees, 

         Now, the JoeFest committee had been told that another party had reserved the picnic shelter until 4 pm, the time JoeFest was scheduled to start, causing the committee to angst over the prospect of not having the venue ready before folks started arriving for JoeFest. 
​        But to Tom's and my surprise, when we arrived at 3:30 members of the committee were already at work setting up the shelter.
​         Steph, Michelle, and Theresa, below.​

     The band, a bluegrass group called The Other Brothers who had generously volunteered to play for the event, was also there warming up, 

...and the local Cat Welfare Association was there, too, with their tent and display all in place and ready for visitors.

     Apparently the previous group scheduled to use the shelter had either left quite early or cancelled. And so, with the perfect weather and plenty of prep time,  JoeFest was off to an auspicious start.
        Theresa brought a custom-made string of Joe heads with which to decorate the shelter.

      She also brought some Joe coloring pages and crayons,

...kitty stickers,

...and a Joe cutout.

       Committee member Steph brought bubbles and little figurine give-aways,

...sidewalk chalk and shiny tabby-orange tablecloths.

      Local artist Ryan LaFever made a splendid pastel portrait of Joe for the event.

        However, earlier in the day Theresa decided that the Joe portrait needed an easel, so she took it to the local Michael's to see if she could find an easel of the proper size. The framer there informed her that an easel wasn't enough; this being a pastel piece, it shouldn't be exposed to the elements and the public without being enclosed in a glassed-in fame. The framer then was kind enough to do a beautiful emergency framing job for a very reasonable price. 

       By 4 pm the shelter was decorated, games set up on the grass,  and friendly film makers (and spouses) Ian James Milheim and Justine Hope (see previous post) were there to get footage for their current work in progress, a movie about Joe to be called Joe Public.

       Allie Vugrincic, afternoon radio host on WOSU, the local NPR affiliate, also showed up to cover JoeFest. ​

     ( Here's the link to Ms. Vugrincic's JoeFest segment:
https://www.wosu.org/arts-culture/2026-07-29/absurd-and-wonderful-joe-fest-celebrates-walhalla-ravines-favorite-wandering-orange-cat).

       Soon afterward folks began arriving, 

...and JoeFest was in full swing.​

        Then came the much anticipated moment: the arrival of Joe with his cat dad.

     Nick Fancher, cat dad of Joe.

        Joe, who stayed for about 45 minutes, appeared altogether chill and in his element being surrounded by his admirers.

           After Joe left people stayed to enjoy the music and a balmy summer evening in the park.           

       As it turned out, Theresa's GoFundMe raised enough to cover expenses,                 

...with enough left over to pay the band and make a contribution to the Cat Welfare Association.
         Amazing what a wandering cat can do.