» Twilight at the Zoo

Twilight at the Zoo: Why It's a Cleveland Summer Must-Do

Amanda Hicken — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 17:49:03 +0000

The mayflies have come and gone and the July 4th holiday is here. In the Hicken house, this means it’s time to start making plans for the rest of summer.

I don’t care what else I do between now and September — Twilight at the Zoo is my big must-do for this summer.

After scheduling conflicts kept us from going in previous years, Scott and I made sure last summer’s Twilight at the Zoo stayed open on our calendar.

And it seemed as if the gods would smile upon us for an evening of outdoor music and summer drinking … until the rains came. And, boy, did they come.

But you know what? Despite getting drenched and only seeing a few of the bands perform, Scott and I had a fantastic time with our friends. Plus we had a reason to buy matching safari hats.

(I tell myself that we needed something to keep the rain out of our eyes, but the real reason is that we love safari hats.)

I also got this awesome photo with WhyCLE’s husband:

The evening was one of the highlights of last summer, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for good weather on August 1, the date of this year’s Twilight at the Zoo.

From 7pm til midnight, stages will be staggered through the Zoo, featuring 18 local bands.

There will be something to satisfy every musical taste – funk to folk, rock to reggae. This year’s bands include:

General admission tickets, which cost $80 per person or $700 for a block of 10, also include free Sam Adams beer, Twisted Tea, wine and soda and a selection of small bites to eat.

Upgrade to VIP tickets ($150 per ticket/$1200 for block of 10) and get access to the VIP party from 6-9pm. VIP partygoers enjoy priority parking and early entry, an open bar, and catering by AMP150, Carrabba’s, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Mitchell’s Fish Market.

And don’t drink and drive: Arrange for a designated driver or book one of the Zoo’s hotel/ticket packages with the Cleveland Airport Marriott.

Purchase tickets online or go here for more information.

One other thing … if you’re planning on getting tickets, get them now. This event usually sells out, and if this year’s Date Night at the Zoovies is any indication (sold out yesterday for an August 22 event), Twilight tickets may be gone sooner than later.

Hope to see you there! I’ll be packing safari hat just in case.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend Twilight at the Zoo with a guest, in exchange for promoting the event. Opinions are 100% my own and based on attending last year’s Twilight.

Cleveland Zoo Continues Rocking the Summer with Twilight at the Zoo

Amanda Hicken — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 18:48:03 +0000

After transforming the Zoo into a festive patio party, the Cleveland Zoological Society continues to rock this summer with Twilight at the Zoo, August 2.

I can’t believe summer is already halfway through. On the one hand, it’s mid-July and Labor Day feels like it’s around the corner. But then I also feel like the Cleveland Zoological Society’s ZippityZooDoo was just yesterday. Their annual summer kickoff was so much fun that it’ll be hard to forget any time soon.

Decorations from the peacock-themed ZippityZooDoo

As Scott and I walked into the Zoo on June 7, we were met with a landscape of blues, purples and greens. Giant (fake) peacocks were perched above on trapeze swings and sounds from The Orchestra welcomed us to the gorgeous patio party.

Some of the delicious and colorful food at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s ZippityZooDoo

After we walked around and caught up with the animals, we enjoyed a dinner of watermelon and herbed feta salad, coffee-rubbed filet with roasted potatoes and vegetables, and a lemon almond terrine. I’m also stealing their crudite-in-a-cup idea for my next party.

Post-dinner we stalked a few silent auction items (a basket of bubbles had my name all over it) and danced a bit like fools (in only the best way!):

Acting silly with WhyCLE and Poise in Parma at ZippityZooDoo

My favorite part, though, was the carousel-carving demonstration for the Zoo’s new Circle of Wildlife Carousel. The Mansfield, OH-based company Carousel Works – the world’s largest manufacturer of wooden carousels – is handcrafting a custom-designed carousel that’s coming to the Zoo next year.

I loved catching a peek at some of the beautiful and unique creatures that will be on the Carousel, like the giant squid they were carving at the demo.

Carousel Works handcarves one of the pieces for the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s new carousel and shows off some of their beautiful work

If you missed ZippityZooDoo, don’t worry — the Cleveland Zoological Society’s next summer bash is only 2 weeks away.

From 7pm til midnight on August 2, the Zoo will host Twilight at the Zoo presented by SCENE Magazine.

Get your tickets for Twilight at the Zoo at www.clevelandzoosociety.org/events/2013/08/twilight-at-the-zoo

It’s the 20th anniversary of the event which will feature 17 local bands ranging in style from funk to folk, rock to reggae:

1988 (80’s hair band)
Almost Famous (pop/rock)
Armstrong Bearcat (rock)
SchoolGirl Crush (UPDATE: This band was added on 7/24)
Craic (celtic rock)
Disco Inferno (70’s & 80’s)
Funkology (50’s, 60’s, & 70’s)
Jah Messengers (reggae)
Joe Bell & The Swing Lizards (swing & blues)
Robbing Mary (country/rock)
Run Avril Run (pop/dance)
Shady Drive (blues/rock)
Skin & Bones (rock/pop/old school rap & hip hop)
The Madison Crawl (swing & jump blues)
The Roadhouse Band (country/80’s rock)
Velvet Shake (pop/dance)
Wanted – Bon Jovi Tribute (bon jovi cover band)

Twilight at the Zoo general admission costs $80 and includes cover, light appetizers, complimentary Samuel Adams beer, Jacob’s Creek wine, Twisted Tea and soda.

VIP tickets are sold out but general admission is still available. Twilight at the Zoo sells out every year so be sure to scoop up the last of the tickets before it’s too late.

Purchase tickets and get info on hotel packages with the Airport Cleveland Marriott at www.clevelandzoosociety.org/events/2013/08/twilight-at-the-zoo

You can also keep track of updates about the event – like new bands and giveaways – at facebook.com/clevelandzoologicalsociety or by following the #TwilightAtTheZoo hashtag and @clevezoosociety.

**Disclosure: I was invited to attend both ZippityZooDoo and Twilight at the Zoo in exchange for blogging about the events. My opinions of all events are my own.**

2 Ways to Party at the Cleveland Zoo this August

Amanda Hicken — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

When Scott and I attended the Cleveland Zoological Society’s ZippityZooDoo last month, we had so much fun we didn’t want to leave at the end of the evening. We even tried to hide among the meerkats:

For obvious reasons (Scott’s too tall), our disguise didn’t work and we had to say our farewells to the elephants and flamingos and head home.

Fortunately, after the success of their summer kickoff, the Cleveland Zoological Society is bringing not one – but two – late-night parties to the Zoo this August.

On August 3rd, one of the city’s biggest summer events rocks the Zoo: Twilight at the Zoo.

From 7 til midnight, 18 Cleveland bands will perform throughout the Zoo. Presented by Cleveland Scene magazine, some of the bands handpicked for the evening include Almost Famous, Disco Inferno, Otis & the Shoreway Saints, as well as the Journey and Bon Jovi tribute bands Arrival and Wanted, respectively.

While enjoying the music, guests will be able to explore the Zoo’s exhibits after dark and enjoy complimentary beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres.

General admission passes are still available – however, if you plan on attending, get them soon because VIP tickets are already sold out. Tickets cost $75 (a block of 10 is available for $650) which includes entry at 7pm, drinks til 11 and music til midnight.

Tickets for Twilight at the Zoo are available here.

If you’re looking for something more intimate, the Zoo is holding its very first Date Night at the Zoovies on August 24th.

From 7-8:30pm, the Zoo will host an open-bar happy hour with light appetizers throughout the Australian Adventure and Africa sections of the Zoo.

Then at 8:30, The Breakfast Club will play in the Amphitheater (I don’t care what anyone says – Emilio Estevez is still my favorite Sheen). Seats in the Amphitheater are first come, first served so guests are encouraged to bring a blanket.

Tickets are $30 for one person. If you’re planning on making it a Date Night, they’re offering 2 tickets for only $50. I’ll also be giving away a pair of Zoovies tickets in the next few weeks – so check back for that giveaway!

Tickets for Date Night at the Zoovies are available here.

If these events are as fun as ZippityZooDoo, I’m thinking that next time around Scott and I will need to try hiding out with the giraffes.

Note: All photos (with the exception of the meerkats) are courtesy of the Cleveland Zoological Society. Images from last year’s Twilight at the Zoo are credited to Dale McDonald. Also, I don’t really condone hiding out in the Zoo — the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo actually hosts an assortment of Overnight Programs for anyone who wants a sleepover in the wild.