Toasting to Five Years of Cats, Connection and Community
OctoPURRfest 2026
📍 Location: Ope! Brewing Co. | 6751 W National Ave, West Allis
📅 When: Saturday, October 10, 2026
🕒 Time: 1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
🐾 Our Mission: Raise the roof (and the funds!) for the cats and kittens of Milwaukee. Come for the brews, stay for the vibes and help us continue to save lives.
A Look Back…
In 2021, we set out to establish Milwaukee’s first cage-free and fear-free cat rescue. And since then, we’ve rescued, rehabilitated, and rehomed more than 700 of them. To celebrate half a decade of life-saving work, we’re raising a glass to the volunteers, donors, and adopters who made every one of these stories possible.
OctoPURRfest 2026 Entertainment
🎤 Event Emcee: Lindsey Slater (TMJ4 News)
The forecast for OctoPURRfest calls for clear skies, great music, and a 100% chance of high-energy fun, thanks for our host, TMJ4 meteorologist Lindsey Slater!
Beyond her extensive background in weather and science, Lindsey is a champion for animal welfare in Wisconsin. When she’s not on the air, she spends her free time volunteering and fostering kittens with local rescue groups. As a proud mom to three adopted cats, Lindsey brings both professional expertise and a deep heart for the rescue community to our 5th anniversary celebration.
🪕 Featured Musical Guest: Frogwater
Milwaukee favorites Frogwater, Susan and Jack Nicholson, are bringing their signature blend of Celtic fiddling, bluegrass. picking, and folk tunes to OctoPURRfest. As multi-time WAMI award winners and staples at festivals across the Midwest, Frogwater’s lively, high-energy music will be the perfect soundtrack to celebrate half a decade of saving lives.
🌶️ Featured Musical Guest: Peppers & Pineapples
Bringing big sounds and even bigger party energy, Peppers & Pineapples are bringing their signature blend of rock, ska, and horn-fueled energy to OctoPURRfest. This six-piece band packs a punch with rocking guitar riffs, soaring saxes, and upbeat tunes. They play to party and will be bringing the heat to Ope!. to keep the our 5th anniversary fundraiser rocking.
👑 Special Guest and Entertainer: Ester Flonaze
The queen herself is joining the party! We’re thrilled to welcome local legend and comedy queen Ester Flonaze to OctoPURRfest.
Known across Milwaukee for her big personality, sharp wit, and unforgettable performances, Ester brings high camp, endless laughs, and big heart everywhere she goes. Get ready for an afternoon of unforgettable entertainment as she takes the mic to host Rescue Bingo and announces our silent auction winners as we celebrate 5 years of rescue work in style.
Event Activities
Play, bid & win for the cats and kittens of Milwaukee in Ope! Brewing Company’s massive 6,500 square-foot taproom. Whether you're buying tickets for our curated silent auction packages, helping us raise funds via our Gift Card Tree, or looking for fun, food and delicious drinks for the whole family, OctoPURRfest has something for everyone. Dogs included!
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Bid on curated high-value packages designed around local experiences, all donated to us by over 40 generous partners. Highlights include:
The Ultimate MKE Experience: Iconic sightseeing, rich history, outdoor bike rentals, and boat tours make for the ultimate local adventure.
Featured Donors: Milwaukee Food & City Tours, Historic Milwaukee, North Point Lighthouse Museum, Bublr Bikes, Milwaukee Boat Line, Tailesin Preservation
Arts, Culture & A Night Out: Perfect for theatre buffs and culture lovers — a season’s worth of entertainment with tickets to Milwaukee’s premier performing arts, theater, and cinema venues.
Featured Donors: Milwaukee Ballet, Next Act Theater, The Florentine Opera, First Stage, South Milwaukee PAC, Bombshell Theatre, Milwaukee Film
Outdoor Adventure & Day Tripping: With rock climbing, scenic cruises, nature center passes, and trips to Door County or Lake Geneva, this package is built for thrill-seekers and families.
Featured Donors: Adventure Rock, Cave of the Mounds, Lake Geneva Cruises, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Bear Paw Beach/Jellystone, Milwaukee Domes, Lynden Sculpture Garden
Pamper, Glow & Wellness: Treat yourself! A full package dedicated to relaxation, self-care, fitness, and glowing skin—ideal for a luxurious weekend reset.
Featured Donors: Float Milwaukee, Yip Fitness, Derma Skin Care Clinic, Roots Salon, The Nail Bar, WAC (Wisconsin Athletic Club)
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Every pull is a winner! Draw a tag from our tree to score $25+ in gift cards from amazing Wisconsin favorites, including:
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik (Door County)
Bubba’s Frozen Custard
Crafty Cow
Draft & Vessel
Elbow Room
Fresh Fin
Glass Nickel Pizza
Golden Nest Pancakes
Joey’s Diner
Maggio’s Wood Fired Pizza
Meijer
Milwaukee Pretzel Company
North Shore Boulangerie
The Waddle Inn
And more!
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At Ope!, there’s a toast for every taste. The interior bar features 24 draft lines serving a wide variety of beer, sours, seltzers, craft cocktails, N/A options, and more. Ope! has a stellar list of local food trucks on rotation, including Chucho’s Red Tacos and other favorites like K&Ls BBQ, Double Dubs, b, Hot Box Pizza, Big E’s Epic Eats, and El Sazón Dominicano.
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Whether you're coming with toddlers, teenagers, pup-children, or just a group of friends, OctoPURRfest has a spot for you!
We’ll have dedicated activities for all ages (and species):
Kids: Crafts, coloring, activity sheets, interactive Rescue Bingo, and an appearance by Allie Cat, the Almost Home Cat Rescue MKE mascot!
Dogs: Dog-friendly patio, water stations, photo opportunities, and other pup-approved fun.
Adults: Live music, cold drinks, silent auction packages, photo booth, and great community vibes.
Bring your crew and let’s party!
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Though we’re raising funds for cats, Ope! is a dog-friendly venue and we would LOVE to see your pups. We truly believe that supporting any and all local rescues strengthens our entire pet-loving community.
Make Memories. Buy Merch. 👕📸
Commemorate our 5th anniversary with limited-edition OctoPURRfest 2026 merchandise, featuring custom shirts, totes, and rescue swag! Available at Ope! while supplies last.
And, don't forget to stop by our photo booth with your family, friends (and pups!) to capture the fun and take home a souvenir from the celebration.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
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Waukesha Surgical Specialists
Silver Sponsorship
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Performance Wealth
Silver Sponsorship
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Meijer
Community Ally Sponsorship
Thank You to Our Donors
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Adventure Rock
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Aggie's Bakery
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Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant & Butik
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Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co.
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Bear Paw Beach, Jellystone Park
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Blain's Farm & Fleet Oak Creek
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Bombshell Theater
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Breadsmith
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Bubba's Frozen Custard
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Bublr Bikes
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Cathy Sibilski
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Cave of the Mounds
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Charlie Behrens & Cripes Media
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Community Bark
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Crafty Cow
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Derma Skin Care Clinic
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DigiCopy
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Draft & Vessel
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Elbow Room
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First Stage
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Fitness Machine Technicians
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Float Milwaukee
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Frank Lloyd Wright Taliesin Preservation
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Fresh Fin Poke
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Fresh is Best
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Fromm Family Pet Foods
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Gayle Mandt
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Glass Nickel Pizza
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Golden Nest Pancakes
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Historic Milwaukee
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Jim O'Connor Select Auto
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Joey's Diner
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Kendra Scott Jewelry
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Lakefront Brewery
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Lake Geneva Cruises
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Leff's Lucky Town
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Lynden Sculpture Garden
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Maggio's Wood Fired Pizza
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Milwaukee Ballet
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Milwaukee Boat Line
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Milwaukee Brewers
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Milwaukee County Parks
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Milwaukee Domes Alliance
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Milwaukee Film
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Milwaukee Food & City Tours
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Milwaukee Pretzel Company
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Milwaukee Wave
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Milwaukee World Festival
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Missing Links
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Nail Bar
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Next Act Theater
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North Point Lighthouse Museum
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North Shore Boulangerie
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Off Leash MKE
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Pioneer Pets
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PRP Wine International
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Raising Cane's
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Roots Salon
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Safari Lake Geneva
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Schauer Center for the Arts
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Skylight Music Theater
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South Milwaukee PAC
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Sweet Spot Golf Club
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Tavern Team
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The Dinner Detective
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The Florentine Opera
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The Picklr
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The Waddle Inn
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Ultimate Confections
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Waterford Wine
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Wisconsin Athletic Club
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Yip Fitness
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Yoga is Served
OctoPURRfest Event FAQs
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Nope! OctoPURRfest is free to attend. We want as many of our community members and supporters to come and celebrate with us as possible. While entry is free, we encourage folks to participate in our raffles, silent auction, and gift card tree, or buy some amazing limited-edition merch. All (100%) of these proceeds will go directly to the rescue.
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Absolutely! This is a family-friendly (and furry-friend-friendly) event. Ope! Brewing Co. welcomes well-behaved pups on leashes and cat-loving kids of all ages. 🐶👶
Weather pending, we’ll have space both indoors and outdoors and plenty of kid-friendly activities to keep them entertained. More to come on these!
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Short answer: No. For the safety and comfort of our kitty community, our cats will be relaxing at our cage-free rescue on Ogden Ave in Milwaukee. However, you’ll get to meet our founders and volunteers, and see plenty of "Success Story" photos and videos throughout the taproom!
We’ll still be holding our Open House at the rescue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day, so say “hi” to them beforehand, and join us for the party afterwards!
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We’ll miss you, but you can still make a massive impact! You can donate directly on our website, or, if you’re looking to align your business with our mission, check out our Event Support Opportunities here. Your support ensures we can continue our life-saving work for the next five years and beyond.
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Ope! Brewing Co. has plenty of street parking and nearby lots. We recommend arriving early to grab a spot, scope out the auction items, and snag a prime seat for our live entertainment!
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Absolutely. Ope! Brewing Co. is a fully accessible, ground-level facility, ensuring everyone can join the celebration comfortably.