Lovers of four-footed, furry friends unite at Woofstock: the hippiest fundraiser of the year that promises BBQ, craft beverages, silent auctions, themed costume contests, music, swag, a cat grass station, a creation station, and more. While attendees are not encouraged to bring their pets to this particular event, the proceeds will support the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society, a nonprofit organization that relies on community donations to sustain its services and is the only no-kill shelter in the Fayetteville area.
According to Jackie Peery, Executive Director of the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society, their mission is “to temporarily house animals until we can find them their forever homes.” Behind the scenes, temporarily housing animals requires vetting them, getting them ready for adoption and finding adoptees.
As a no-kill and managed-intake shelter, FAPS focuses their efforts on animals most at risk for euthanasia. They strongly emphasize the importance of responsible pet ownership, including spaying and neutering. With free rabies vaccination and microchipping clinics, they offer preventative measures on the front end that keep animals safer, healthier, and makes pet ownership more accessible.
“There’s a gold standard of pet ownership that not everyone can afford, if I’m being honest,” Peery explained. “Just like with people, food, water, and healthcare for pets should just be normal.”
Their programs and services help prevent situations where owners have to relinquish their pets because of health issues or lose their pets without any way to track them.
Peery said of the microchipping clinics, “It is kind of twofold; it doesn't just help the animal and the pet owner, it also, in turn, actually helps the county. So, should that animal ever go missing, you now don't have to spend as much money and time and resources into finding the owner, because it's microchipped.”
Peery says they’re committed to impacting the current statistics regarding euthanasia that define NC.
“We’re ninth in the number of animals euthanized behind only California and Texas, which is wild,” she said.
As a managed-intake shelter and one that doesn’t receive any government funding, they face challenges that can only be solved through community support.
“Managed intake has been proven to work, but you first need a pet owner safety net. You need to have a really good TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) system already in progress. You need to have low-cost spay and neuter vouchers and support for the public. You need to have a pet food pantry. You need to help people keep their animals.”
Woofstock is their largest fundraiser of the year, and the hope is that funds raised at the event will support the foregoing programs, enabling them to continue providing those services to pet owners and adoptees.
With VIP tickets selling for $100 and general admission tickets selling for $50, attendees can craft their experience, opting for a groovy evening of music, food, creation stations and swag with general admission, or a top-tier experience including access to Tito’s Handmade Vodka Lounge, entry into the Mega Bar Raffle, and more with a VIP ticket.
For the costume contest, there are categories: Flower Child, Tie Dye Vibes, and Groovy group. Along with swag that includes mood cups, tennis balls, squeaky toys, lint rollers, and food scoops, attendees can enter the silent auction and 50/50 raffle, walking away with a special gift to bring home to their furry friend.
“Woofstock is a ton of fun,” Peery shared, emphasizing that it is not a child or pet-friendly environment due to the presence of alcohol and loud music. “This is more something where we celebrate our pets at the event, but we leave them at home, I don’t think many would be very happy coming.”
Food and beverage vendors at the event include BBQ Dinner and Drinks, Dirtbag Ales, Chason’s Buffet and Gaston Brewing Company. Music will be provided by Sayer McShand and The Zack Guinn Band.
Peery said a highlight of the event is “Rescue Row,” a hallway lined with hundreds of photos of animals rescued by Fayetteville Animal Protection Society with the help of the community. “This could have easily been ‘death row,’” she explained. “FAPS does not get any government funding to save these animals. This is 100% donation based. So, it's because of our community that this row of animals gets to be Rescue Row.”
Woofstock 2025 will be held on Friday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

(Photo courtesy of FAPS Facebook Page)