St. Francis Day Fair with Pet Blessings and the Great Animal Costume Parade
Join us for a full afternoon of fun and festivities to celebrate Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment, on the lush grounds of the world's largest Gothic cathedral!
All people and pets are encouraged to dress as their favorite animal in honor of Saint Francis. The day will feature activities for kids of all ages, appearances by the Mettawee River Dance Theatre, food trucks, pet adoption agencies, and more! Priests will be available to bless pets for the duration of the Fair.
At 2 pm, the Great Animal Costume Parade will commence and all in costume will be invited to circle the Cathedral grounds showcasing their fantastic animal costumes to the community, culminating in a ceremony awarding prizes in one of our 7 categories and celebrating Best In Show!
The award categories are:
Most incredible insect
Best mythical creature
Most magnificent mammal
Best ancient animal
Most precious peacock
Most super ocean dweller
Most fantastic beast
We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions about the event, visit our FAQs.
In the event of rain, we'll update this event with the revised plan.
Please note: The traditional St. Francis Day Festal Eucharist and animal procession will not take place. Due to a fire in the crypt on Palm Sunday, the Cathedral is in the midst of an extensive cleaning and conservation project that limits access to many areas of the building and makes it impossible to host the 2,000+ people and pets who attend this beloved service. You can read more about this decision in a statement by Dean Daniel.