Don’t Miss the 10th Annual Furball 2026 | Tickets Available Through February 20

By: VOCAL

When the doors open on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at 6pm for the 10th Annual Furball, will you have a ticket? Tickets for the season’s signature event are selling fast, and organizers are excited for the support. Ticket sales end February 20.

Proceeds from the Furball benefit VOCAL (Voices of Change Animal League), the Ocala-based non-profit helping to solve the issue of homeless pets through prevention, community outreach, adoption, and collaboration. This year’s theme, “Boots, Black Tie & Best Friends: A Western Extravaganza,” salutes the equestrian ties in the area, including World Equestrian Center, which has been the venue in recent years. Although the event is black-tie optional, everyone is encouraged to add western accents from boots to cowboy hats in keeping with the western theme.

Ticket sales are going very well this year and include corporate table sponsorships. Jenkins Subaru of Ocala has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the 10th Annual Furball. The car dealership selected VOCAL as the local charity to sponsor as part of Subaru’s Share the Love Initiative®.

Platinum event sponsors include Ocala Horse Properties, Penn Floring, R+L Global Logistics, and Saint Bernard Foundation, to name a few.

The evening begins with a cocktail hour sponsored by Cheryl Findlay, VOCAL board member, in memory of her late husband Bill Findlay, who was a founding board member serving for nine years.

Lugano will be joining the event as a 4th-year sponsor. This year, they will be sponsoring the “Lugano Lounge” in the cocktail hour. Guests will have the opportunity to cuddle puppies, adopt a new best friend and browse the brand’s exquisite jewelry collection.

Guests will later enjoy a 3-course dinner by the award-winning culinary team at WEC. Guests will not be disappointed with the menu options.

A highlight of the evening features a silent and live auction with Bernadette Castro as the auctioneer. The auctions feature a variety of great items that help bring in additional funds. Attendees will be able to view all the items up for auction and place competitive bids.

The board plans to expand the footprint of VOCAL’s property at 6393 SW 52nd Street in Ocala and will announce the new capital campaign during the gala.

The emcee of the evening will be Lewis Stokes, the midday host of 93.7 FM Ocala’s K-Country. Stokes, well-known for his signature cowboy hat, has been the emcee of the Furball for the past three years.

“I look forward to it every year! It is one of my favorite charity events that I emcee because I love animals and I will always step up and help them in any way I can,” Stokes said.

Stokes added that the mission VOCAL is important to him because he believes no animal should be unloved and uncared for. “My wife and I have adopted a rescue dog ourselves,” he said. “Charlie has been such a blessing to us!”

Tickets for the Furball must be purchased in advance. Tickets are $200 and can be purchased online or by calling 352.289.0800. Corporate tables, seating 8 guests, can also be purchased through the ticket portal at a discounted rate.

“We added the ability to purchase tables this year because it was a growing request from guests,” Carpenter said.

Additional opportunities to support the Furball include:
Sponsorship levels include Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze

Check out the perks of each level:

Silent/Live auction items are being accepted:

In addition to attending the 10th Annual Furball, “Boots, Black-Tie & Best Friends: A Western Extravaganza” presented by Jenkins Subaru of Ocala, also consider support through a VOCAL membership. Membership levels start at $10 to $250 and above. Donations through memberships are used to provide a variety of veterinary services, from heartworm treatments, vaccines for new shelter animals, spaying and neutering, and trap-neuter-return.

The Furball on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, promises to be an exciting evening of fun in support of the mission of VOCAL to care for animals in need and decrease the number of homeless pets in the community. Learn more about VOCAL.

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About VOCAL (Voices of Change Animal League): 
VOCAL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to solving the homeless pet problem in Marion County, Florida. Through prevention, community outreach, adoption, and collaboration, VOCAL works to keep pets in loving homes and reduce shelter overcrowding.

At Voices of Change Animal League (VOCAL), our mission is simple yet powerful: to end pet homelessness through compassion, prevention, and community support. Local shelters are often overwhelmed, and VOCAL steps in with innovative solutions that focus on keeping pets with their families and out of shelters.

•  Affordable Veterinary Care: VOCAL’s Community Clinic offers low-cost spay/neuter, vaccine clinics, and specialty surgeries, ensuring that financial hardship doesn’t separate pets from their families.
• Pet Food Bank: In partnership with Chewy.com, VOCAL provides weekly pet food and supplies to families and rescue groups, helping pets stay healthy and at home.
• Adoptions: VOCAL carefully matches pets of all ages—from playful puppies and kittens to senior companions—with loving adopters, ensuring every animal finds the right home.