TOLEDO, Ohio — A long-awaited addition to downtown Toledo is taking it back to the Roaring '20s for a glamorous weekend of events on Adams Street.
RubyCats is hosting its inaugural gala weekend fundraiser for Toledo's first cat cafe. Attendees are invited to embrace the spirit of "The Great Catsby" and enjoy speakeasy vibes while getting a sneak peek at "the cat cafe transformation," according to a RubyCats spokesperson.
The three-day event, which kicked off Friday with a pre-gala VIP celebration, is taking place at 618 Adams St. inside what will soon be RubyCats, although the feline stars will not be joining the festivities just yet.
The main event celebrates "Caturday" on Saturday, with guests 21 and older invited to dress to impress or to show off their best 1920s glitz and glam.
Local food and themed drinks will be accompanied by live music by Lori Lefevre during "The Great Catsby" gala. There will also be an auction featuring artwork and a variety of other items, plus opportunities to learn about the mission of RubyCats.
Tickets for the gala are $100, with limited quantities still available.
For the all-ages crowd, the gala will be followed by a brunch on Sunday for $40, with "Meow-mosas" and "Flapurrjacks." The family-friendly brunch is dress to impress, with live music by Kevin Foster.
The fundraiser is a final step for the nonprofit organization to be able to open RubyCats, according to the organization's founding executive director, Tallie Kissinger.
Once open, RubyCats will feature a space for cat fanciers to spend time with cats and kittens in a safe, no-kill environment.
The price of admission will be a small fee, Kissinger said, and RubyCats is partnering with Grindhrs Coffee & Community, which is right across the street, to help complete the "cafe" aspect.
But coffee is not a requirement to enjoy the RubyCats cat cafe.
"If you'd like, you can just come in, have a cat for a while, get that cat therapy in, feel all relaxed from hanging out with some feline friends, and the cats get to be in a homelike, cozy atmosphere," Kissinger said. "So it feels a little more cozy and welcoming, and not very much like a shelter, although many shelters are beautiful and welcoming."
All are welcome at RubyCats, even if you do not intend on giving a forever home to a feline friend.
"There's a lot of different reasons you might visit," Kissinger said. "And then, of course, if you wanted to adopt, we'd be a great place for you to come, check out the cat, get to know the cat in the cozy atmosphere and then you can possibly adopt."
To purchase tickets or learn more about the cat cafe, visit the RubyCats website at this link.
As for when the grand opening will be, Kissinger said the goal is for RubyCats to be ready for felines and friends on June 1.
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