GRAFTON, Mass. - The annual Pet Rock Festival returned to Central Massachusetts Sunday afternoon.

This year marks the 23rd annual festival. It's centered around several local animal organizations spreading the word about their services. The festival has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years, with all of the proceeds from the festival being distributed to Massachusetts-based animal welfare organizations like shelters, cruelty watchdogs and rescue leagues. 

Hundreds of people and pets participated Sunday at the lawn in front of Grafton's Wyman Gordon facility, with vendors, food and live music. Organizers say the goal is to promote and communicate the importance of treating animals with kindness.

"They're going to experience everything to do with animals," said the festival's co-founder Jeannie Hebert. "Visiting rescues and shelters to visiting animal rights organizations that are working for legislation to vendors who sell really unique gifts for your best friend. It’s really a wonderful day. It's a great celebration."

"I think what's especially unique about this festival, is lot of times you go to an event like this and it's always benefitting one group or one entity," said co-founder Charlene Arsenault. "Whereas Pet Rock Fest is kind of like a funnel that we find the charities who need it most at the time and we disperse funds to who needs it. So 10 to 15 charities benefit greatly after each year's festival."

The festival also included a blessing of the animals, led by Rev. Chad McCabe of the Church of the Nativity in Northborough.