Attention Golden Retrievers! We are only a few weeks away from the 11th Annual New England Golden Jubilee! On May 17, 2025 Golden Retrievers from across New England and beyond will be gathering at Dog Mountain in St. Johnsbury, Vermont with a purpose – to support the critical research of the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, to honor the important mission of Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue, to remember special Golden angels, and to celebrate what it means to be a Golden Retriever! According to the founders of the New England Golden Jubilee, Sandra and Peter Lok, “The mere presence of a Golden Retriever, their soft fur, wide smiles and soulful eyes, helps to enrich our lives. The New England Golden Jubilee is about helping to enrich the lives of these beloved beings. We’ll celebrate their very presence and indulge their playful spirits with pure Golden Fun!”
After a decade of organizing this grassroots effort that has raised thousands, this year Sandra and Peter tossed the tennis ball to Catie and Paul, along with their pups, Pixel and Sega to take over the event and run with it. As always, the day will be filled with games, swimming, hiking, and everyone’s favorite highlight – the Great Tennis Ball Toss! Following the toss, there will even be an award for the Dirtiest Dog! Because let’s face it, who can resist a muddy dip in the pond? However, prior to the swimming, there will also be group photos taken of seniors 10 and up, puppies age two and under, Heroes in the study, therapy dogs, rescue dogs, and cancer survivors, as well as a big group photo of everyone attending! Think it is hard getting 100+ Goldens looking towards the camera? Try getting their humans to do it with them! Guaranteed to be the biggest smiles on dogs and people! Also returning are Fireball and Friends with their freestyle dance performances.
Another favorite tradition is the Kibble Cup Auction to benefit the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study and Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue! Raffle tickets are only available at the event for cash or check. Purchases as many as you like, and place them in the kibble cup of your choosing. Remember though, you must be there to collect your prize! Gift baskets include items for both dogs and humans. There is still time to donate gift baskets to the auction, but please do it soon so that they arrive in time for the big event! Financial donations are always welcome as well. It takes a lot to put on an event this big, from registration, goodie bag assembly and distribution, kibble cup auction, setup and cleanup, so if your human would like to volunteer at this free event, please contact Catie and Paul.
New this year, instead of the cookout there will be food trucks, or bring your own lunch and enjoy a picnic on the beautiful grounds of Dog Mountain. The Friends of Dog Mountain have been busy creating new community gathering and seating spaces at the Angel Dog Overlook, and there’s always room to gather and chat with new friends and old outside the the Stephen Huneck Gallery and sacred Dog Chapel, so bring your chairs or picnic blankets.
Although the New England Golden Jubilee is a joyous celebration, it is also a time to pay tribute to dear friends who have crossed Rainbow Bridge. As in previous years, we will gather in front of Dog Chapel in their memory with the lighting of the Remembrance Candle, as well as a Heroes Parade for the dogs participating in the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. The Rev. Susan Ohidal of St. Andrew’s Church will once again be joining us for a Blessing of the Animals. Thank you, Rev. Ohidal!
And we’d be remiss if we didn’t say a huge THANK YOU to Dog Mountain Home of Stephen Huneck Gallery for hosting this annual event. Dog Mountain is truly a dog paradise, and we owe them an our gratitude for providing the perfect place for us to celebrate all things Golden! Please note there is no leash law on Dog Mountain, nor is there an automatic pooper scooper. So please supervise your dogs, clean up after them, and lend a helping paw to clean up after others.
So what are you waiting for? Register now! Registration is FREE, but monetary donations to help cover the cost of the New England Golden Jubilee are very much appreciated. All remaining funds will be donated to the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study and Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue. To learn more about this Golden celebration including dog friendly hotels and campgrounds in the area, schedule of events, and to register, please visit New England Golden Jubilee, and be sure to follow them on Facebook for all the latest updates!
Need more convincing? Check out these photos from previous years at the New England Golden Jubilee!
Connect with old friends from the past decade of Jubilees, meet up with folks you chat with on social media, and make lots of new friends!
Meet some of the Heroes enrolled in the groundbreaking Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, which is the largest and most comprehensive prospective canine health study ever undertaken in veterinary medicine in the United States.
While also celebrating dogs of all ages from puppies to seniors!
All dogs who are registered will receive a Golden goodie bag. So be sure to register ahead of time!
There will be goofy Golden moments. Maybe even an appearance by a bikini clad rubber chicken…
…Solemn moments of reflection at Dog Chapel….
And of course the great tennis ball toss! Did we mention the Dirtiest Dog Award?!
With local hotels and campgrounds ready to welcome you after a long day of fun.
So what are you waiting for? Head on over to NewEnglandGoldenJubilee.com to register today, and to get all the details on how you can donate, volunteer, where to stay, and full schedule of events.
In full disclosure, as much as my family would love to attend to pay tribute to our Angel Chuck Billy, we will have to sit out the 11th Annual New England Golden Jubilee, as I continue on my journey with Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis. However, I hope all of our friends can attend on May 17, 2025! In addition to the website, get the latest updates on Facebook at New England Golden Jubilee.
