Americana Vineyards Winery is is very proud to announce that their new rescue dogs and official winery greeters, Maverick and Lilly, will be hosting their first Woofstock, now in its fifth year, to benefit local shelters and rescues on June 3, from 12 to 7 p.m. at the winery. Kids, pets and parents are all invited and asked to bring donations of pet food and supplies to support these local shelters and rescues: Pet the Pet Program, Fetch a Friend Rescue, Browncoat Cat Rescue, and Beverly Animal Shelter. New this year is Rochester-based Meals for Mutts who will receive all the dog food for their food distribution program. Their goal is to reduce the number of animals surrendered to shelters and rescues by providing quality food to companion animals when their owners have fallen on hard times and are unable to provide food for them. It is the volunteer-run organization’s hope that by deferring the cost of feeding their pets, it will help owners keep their pets where they belong — in their home.
The dogs, who chronicle their new life as winery ambassadors on Instagram are both Labrador Retrievers, like their predecessors Max & Rubie, who were the original inspiration for the event. Both are rescue pups, Maverick from Tennessee via the Wings of Rescue, and Lilly locally from Ithaca, as a surrender to the Tompkins County SPCA.
“It took us a while to find the right dogs after we lost Max and Rubie,” said the pooches’ dad, Joseph Gober, Jr., owner of Americana. “These two were brought into our lives at the perfect time and are the perfect addition to our family. We’re so excited to have them step into Max and Rubie’s paws, as it were, to host Woofstock this year. It’s our fifth anniversary and we want to blow the doors off the donations for our shelters and rescues this year!”
Americana has always been a pet-friendly winery, and a strong animal rights advocate. The winery team decided to bring it all together with a party. The day-long benefit will consist of plenty of kid-friendly and pet-friendly fun from 12:00pm to 7:00pm. The rescues will be on hand to accept the donations, discuss pet adoption and allow everyone to cuddle with their “pet adoption ambassadors.” In exchange for donations, (people) attendees will receive Doggone Fun Ticket for every dollar in food, supplies and cash they donate. The tickets can be used for activities wine tastings and wine slushies, a pick-a-prize raffles, dog show votes, kids games and kid-friendly foods and drinks.
In addition there will be lots of activities to keep the dogs busy this year, including a new dog park with pools, water and toys; and a Dog Agility Course where, for $5, the dogs can run the course twice and compete for prize baskets. There will also be a Doggie Divas Fashion Show, in its second year, where pets and their parents (if they want) can dress up in 70s disco fashions to compete for prizes. Entry into the dog show is also $5, whether it’s just the pup dressing up or the pet and parent duo.
For the kids, there will be more games than ever, including plinko and corn hole, and a bounce house from Mastermind Entertainment for the little ones. All games and kids activities require just one “Doggone Fun Ticket” and will run all day long. Doggone Fun Tickets can also be used for kids’ favorites like hotdogs, ice cream, popcorn, water and lemonade.
For the adults, there will be food, vendors, wine and beer. They can also buy 4 bottles of wine in the winery and get commemorative Woofstock labels with their pet’s picture! There will also be pick-a-prize raffles, 50-50s, big basket raffles, and new this year, live auctions between the bands, where they can bid on three different Finger Lakes Getaways: Northern FLX Getaway, FLX Spa Getaway and.FLX Country Getaway All raffle and auction items have been given to the event from several pet-friendly and animal supportive local businesses and organizations, including La Tourelle, Microtel Inn & Suites of Seneca Falls and Finger Lakes Mill Creek Cabins.
For people who can’t make it that day, donations are already being accepted at the winery in the form of $1 Paws for the Cause and on their Woofstock Gofundme page.
