Wild Summer Lights: A Enjoyable-Stuffed Show

Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden is about to turn into an excellent brighter attraction.

From Aug. 14 till early October, the zoo hosts Wild Summer Lights, a Chinese lantern competition that includes greater than 40 totally different shows in a mile-long lighted attraction. Chicago, Illinois-based Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc. — a subsidiary of Sichuan Tianyu Culture Communication Co., Ltd., headquartered in Zigong, China — arrange the lighted shows featured in 78 cities all through the U.S., together with the Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri, Louisville Zoo in Kentucky, and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Ohio. The Powatami Zoo in South Bend, Indiana, hosted Zoo Luminate from March via June.

Mesker reached out about internet hosting again in December 2024 as Tianyu started increasing its attain into secondary and tertiary markets. According to Kristin Comer, the zoo’s director of institutional development, preliminary conversations included accumulating information on yearly guests — the zoo welcomed round 196,000 in 2024 — and a proposal from Tianyu. “The proposal really captured everything we wanted for this show. The team from Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc. has been great to work with,” Comer says.

Next got here a web site go to by Tianyu, together with a theme for the lantern attraction that tells the zoo’s 97-year-old story and mission. It’s taken three weeks and 9 semitrailers price of supplies to arrange the competition. “Watching it go up during the last three weeks has been a lot of fun for us as well as guests,” Comer says.

Not solely is Mesker a zoo centered on animal conservation, its conservation efforts additionally prolong to its botanic backyard stuffed with native crops and pollinators. Playing to that theme, a big glowing inexperienced archway with butterflies and caterpillars welcomes visitors to the zoo entrance.

The attraction additionally options meals vehicles, acoustic music, and a walk-through, light-up tunnel with glowing flooring. A large glowing macaw information visitor feedback and repeats them again.

“There really hasn’t been a festival like this in Evansville,” Comer says, including that though college is again in session, “It’s a great way to extend our summer.”

As far as animal welfare is worried, that’s the zoo’s primary precedence, above sights. Executive Director Erik Beck says this competition mustn’t disturb any of the animal residents. “They are used to seeing lots of people,” Beck says.

Comer shares that the zoo has labored with Tianyu to create a advertising and marketing plan involving billboards, radio, TV, social media, and Evansville Living advertisements. The competition is a revenue-sharing partnership between Mesker and Tianyu. The firm has introduced seven million guests to its numerous sights.

“We expect a huge turnout. I hope it reignites more excitement about the zoo,” Comer says.

“I’m so excited for this and can’t wait to get my family out there,” Danielle Crook, govt director of the Evansville Parks and Recreation Department, stated throughout an Aug. 6 Board of Park Commissioners assembly the place the competition was mentioned.

Wild Summer Lights runs 5:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday via Oct. 5. While animal interactions can be restricted throughout competition hours, visitors can entry Mesker’s reward store and carousel. Purchase tickets — $18 for adults, $16 for kids, and $13 for members — online or name the zoo for help.