A sunny, saturated blue sky and small white clouds were the backdrop of Catherine's Butterfly Party this year, held on the Fairfield Hills Campus on June 3.cvhfoundation.org

According to the Catherine Violet Hubbard (CVH) Foundation, Catherine's Butterfly Party was created as a tribute to the life and legacy Catherine Violet Hubbard, one of 26 people killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 12/14. Every year, Catherine asked for a birthday party that would bring all of her favorite creatures together - Catherine's Butterfly Party is that wish fulfilled, according to a release from the event.

The festival offered activities, games, food trucks, educational exhibitions, and 19 rescue agencies with animals up for adoption.

"I would say it is safe to say over 50 animals found their forever homes," said CVH Foundation board member Harmony Verna after the event.

According to Ms Verna, roughly 3,000 people attended Catherine's Butterfly Party.

This was the foundation's third annual Catherine's Butterfly Party and Ms Verna said she thinks it was the foundation's most successful event so far.

"It was great," Ms Verna said.

The event ran from noon to 4 pm, and the sun shone from the start.

"I love it," said Foundation President Jennifer Hubbard, Catherine's mother, as adults mingled from booth to booth with children and dogs by their side.

As she looked around her, Ms Hubbard smiled. This year's party, she said, made her think that Catherine knows the foundation finally realized her dream for a party.

From what Ms Verna knows of Catherine, she agreed.

"It sounds exactly like the birthday party she would have wanted," said Ms Verna.

According to Ms Verna, 30 dogs and four cats were adopted and went home with their new families from the event on Saturday. There were also 20 more dog adoptions pending approval of applications after June 3. She also learned on June 6 that one rabbit was approved for adoption.

Ms Verna said she thinks this year's party represented the foundation's dream for it from the start.

The foundation is raising funds to build a building for the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, where it will provide rescue and adoptive services for animals and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. Until then, Ms Verna said Catherine's Butterfly Party is a way to "link" people with rescued animals.

Plans are already in the works for next year's Catherine's Butterfly Party.

"We don't have a date set, but it will be in early June," Ms Verna said.

.For more information on Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation and the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animals Sanctuary visit