The 21st Annual North Ridgeville Skunk Fest

As cuddly as a teddy bear…Skunks of all shapes and sizes made for a fascinating day at the North Ridgeville Skunkfest held Saturday at South Central Park.

One and all were welcome at the 21st North Ridgeville Skunk Fest held at South Central Park on Saturday, Sept. 10.

What is a Skunk Fest? A friendly gathering for skunk lovers and skunk owners from everywhere to share some fun and discussions about skunks.

All were welcome (although you did not need to be a skunk owner to attend)! Many brought the family to this totally unique event.

It’s a day of fun contests, the crowning of the Skunkfest King & Queen as well as Prince & Princess. Plus, there are vendors, other contests, food stations and all around skunky fun in the name of fundraising for the Skunk rescue group, Skunkhaven.

Skunks, says the group, “Are unusual, funny, amazing, friendly animals that just have a bad reputation. Most complaints about skunks are attributable to rumor and falsehood, and a pungent defensive weapon. Skunks learn quickly and remember well, especially when it comes to food, this often leads to “repeat offenses” and more bad press.”

There are all kinds of skunks. You could have seen skunks in the colors of Apricot, Lavender, Brown and more at the Fest. Folks were happily displaying their stinkers, although all the skunks at the Fest were deodorized. This seems to be one of the priorities for a skunk looking to achieve pethood. People cuddle their skunks, hold them up to their faces and even kiss them (although we were afraid to look). There was no evidence of malodorousness, and all of the skunk owners appeared to be normal people, with none appearing to be “drunk as….”

It was just a fun day in the sun for a worthy (if you are a skunk aficionado) cause. Hey, there’s a pet out there for everybody. Check out Skunkhaven.net for more info that you ever imagined about skunks. And remember, “Please do not touch other people’s skunks.”