For its second edition, the Internet Cat Video Festival 2013 screens at the Great Minnesota Get-Together: the State Fair Grandstand. This year’s showcase of feline hijinks includes new videos, appearances by special guests and celebricats, live music, art projects, and booths hosting local animal resource nonprofits. Bonus: #catvidfest 2013 concludes with fireworks!

Follow the Action

Watch a live stream of the event, courtesy of Animal Planet. Follow the #catvidfest on Facebook and Twitter.

Tickets on Sale: Minnesota State Fair Box Office

• Purchase tickets online at mnstatefair.org.
• Order by phone at 800.514.3849.
• Purchase in person at the State Fairgrounds Box Office.

Schedule of Events

• 6 pm: Gates open with projects and other feline-inspired fun.
• 7 pm: Program begins with live music, video debuts, and guest appearances.
• 9 pm: Film begins.
• 10:30 pm: Program concludes.
• NOTE: The Minnesota State Fair does not allow pets. Please leave your furry companions at home.

Special Guests & Celebricats

We will be joined by numerous special guests and celebricats for this year’s edition, including:

• Grumpy Cat
• Henri Le Chat Noir creator Will Braden
• Nyan Cat creator Chris Torres
• Keyboard Cat creator Charlie Schmidt
• Kittens Inspired by Kittens star Maddie Kelly
• Lil Bub
• An Engineer’s Guide to Cats creators Paul Klusman and TJ Wingard
• Pudge the Cat
• Hosted by Julie Klausner, a New York–based comedy writer, performer, podcaster, and author
• Music by Brian Laidlaw and the Family Trade and Koo Koo Kanga Roo

Butter Cat!

In celebration of the Great Minnesota Get-Together tradition, the festival will feature a cat butter sculpture to be displayed at the event. Click here for a time-lapse video of the butter cat creation!

Dress Up as Your Favorite Cat

Dress up as your favorite real world or Internet cat and win prizes and an opportunity to be featured on Animal Planet’s website. Animal Planet will have photographers roving the audience to find the best cat costumes to feature during the event and post to their website.

Collaborate & Interact with Artist Projects

In the spirit of Open Field, the Walker Art Center project that spawned the festival, there will be several interactive artist projects throughout the event, including live painting by local artist Rudy Fig, letterpress printing by Lunalux, a silent disco by LA-based Funny or Die, and an interactive cat video project with San Francisco–based artist Maria Mortati.

Learn More about Animal Resources & Welfare

The festival will include representatives from the local Animal Humane Society and Caring for Cats and other animal resource nonprofits to help educate attendees about cat-related issues.

Festival T-Shirts & More

Available now: Internet Cat Video Festival T-Shirts!

Be the first to grab limited-edition catvidfest merchandise–including an official poster (with a Golden Kitty), a festival tour T-shirt, and Colorful Kitty clothing and items–available for the first time at the State Fair on August 28. A selection of these will also be showcased at the book-signing at the Walker on August 29 and offered online after that date. Proceeds support the Walker’s artistic and educational programs and local animal welfare organizations.

Golden Kitty Award and MN Cat-on-a-Stick

Who will walk away with the #catvidfest hardware? Last year, Will Braden’s now iconic Henri Le Chat Noir #2 took the coveted Golden Kitty as the People’s Choice Best of Festival. Click here to view the nominated videos for 2013. Award winners will be announced at the conclusion of the festival.

About the Festival

Last year’s first-ever Internet Cat Video Festival was conceived at the Walker as a modest celebration to bring online communities together in the real world. The #catvidfest became its own viral phenomenon, drawing more than 10,000 fans to the Walker’s Open Field and winning the attention of local, national, and international audiences and media. The event spawned “copy-cat” festivals–and a touring program–around the country.

Media Contact

Rachel Joyce, Assistant Director, Public Relations
rachel.joyce@walkerart.org

Tour Requests

Scott Stulen, Producer of the Internet Cat Video Festival
scott.stulen@walkerart.org