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Summer Concerts at the Indianapolis Zoo

The Indianapolis Zoo will be the place to shake a tail feather when two family-friendly concert series return this summer. Zoolapalooza presented by Teddy Grahams and Animals and All That Jazz will offer 11 evenings of live music, specialty menus, extended Zoo hours and even more wild fun from mid-June through early August.

The Zoo’s concert season will kick off with Zoolapalooza, offering performances every Friday night from June 21 through July 26. Now in its ninth year, this popular series will feature a new band each week, including several returning Zoo favorites along with a few newcomers for six unique performances. Guests will enjoy a range of music styles, from rock classics to today’s pop hits plus R&B and even some bluegrass — all with a toe-tapping energy to get attendees out of their seats for a spin around the dance floor.

spring xZooberance at the Indianapolis Zoo

The 2019 Zoolapalooza series will feature:

June 21: The Band, etc. … June 28: Tim Brickley & THE LIST
July 5: Todd Harrold Quartet July 12: My Yellow Rickshaw
July 19: MIXTAPE July 26: Protocol

The smooth sounds of live jazz will keep visitors cool as the summer heats up. Offering a distinctly different music experience, the 32nd year of Animals and All That Jazz will begin July 4 and continue every Thursday through Aug. 1. One of the Zoo’s longest-running events, this series will showcase a diverse lineup of musicians from across the Midwest, covering jazz genres from classic to contemporary and smooth soul to blues, even blending in the more modern sounds of pop and R&B.

The 2019 Animals and All That Jazz series will include:

July 4: Tad Robinson July 11: Everett Greene
July 18: West Central Quartet July 25: Cowbell Jazz featuring Yvonne Allu
Aug. 1: Clint Breeze & the Groove

All performances will take place from 5:30-8:30pm under the Bicentennial Pavilion. Located near the Zoo’s entrance, this stunning space offers an open-air atmosphere as well as weather protection. A perfect place for attendees to relax for an evening of music, rain or shine.

Indianapolis Zoo: Team Sloth or Team Snake
Check my review of the sloths here

Food

Enhancing the concert experience, each night will feature a new food menu, in addition to regular Zoo fare. Adults can also enjoy a cash bar as well as craft beer sampling from a rotating list of Midwest breweries. Beer sampling is provided by Zink Distributing. Tables and seating inside the Bicentennial Pavilion are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

In addition to the music, there will be plenty of animal exhibits nearby and rides available until 7pm so that guests can enjoy the full Zoo experience without missing a beat.

Tickets

Summer concert events are free for Zoo members and included with regular admission, so visitors can stay late for the concerts after enjoying a full day at the Zoo. Guests can purchase discount tickets at Indiana Members Credit Union locations or by visiting IndianapolisZoo.com to plan their night out.

About the Indianapolis Zoo

The Indianapolis Zoo empowers people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation. Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. Visit IndianapolisZoo.com

More Fun at the Indianapolis Zoo:

Indianapolis Zoo: Team Sloth or Team Snake
What’s New at Indianapolis ZooBoo?

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Indianapolis Zoo: Team Sloth or Team Snake

Indianapolis Zoo: Team Sloth or Team Snake opened this weekend. We had a chance to go check them out during their member preview before it opened to the public and it was so fun! Whether you’re fond of cute and cuddly or sleek and slithery you’ll find new facts and interesting animals to swoon over.

These exhibits opened just in time to start your summer off with some fun at the zoo. PRO TIP: Bring your patience. These two exhibits are going to be very popular which means long wait times. I suggest bringing two adults and having one stand in line while the other gets ice cream or heads to the playground with the kids. There were a lot of hot tired kids in line while we were there. Once you get to MISTery Park there are misters that help keep you cool and you’ll fell like you’ve stepped into a rain forest in south America! It it such an amazing experience. You’ll never have known you’re standing where the splash pad was with all the plants, mist and forest sounds from Costa Rica.

Indianapolis Zoo: Team Sloth or Team Snake
Indianapolis Zoo: Team Sloth or Team Snake

Team Sloth

You’ll have the chance to get up close and personal with the sloths while you’re there. Although you can not handle these cuddly cuties you can get some great selfies! There are 5 sloths total at the Indianapolis Zoo and they will have two out at a time to allow them time without being with people. These two toed sloths keep a gentle pace to help them go unseen by predators, such as harpy eagles and jaguars, who watch for moving prey when they hunt. But these adorable animals take leisure to the next level, moving slow enough for algae and fungi to grow on their fur, creating micro-biomes of life.

Team Snake

The snake exhibit is just as popular as the sloth exhibit! They’ve completely renovated the back area of Desserts and added new habitats for all their new friends. Desserts has remained the same but in the back area they’ve added the most deadly snakes in the world. Size, Speed & Venom: Extreme Snakes will feature more than 20 incredible species, including some of the largest and most dangerous snakes on the planet. The reticulated python is one of the world’s largest snakes, growing to nearly 30 feet in length with exquisite patterns.

For more information on these awesome exhibits go to the Indianapolis Zoo website or call (317) 630-2001 for more information.

Indianapolis Zoo: Team Sloth or Team Snake

Check out more fun Zoo trips like xZooberance and Fairy Gardens.

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Spring xZooberance at the Indianapolis Zoo

We were invited to the Indianapolis Zoo this past weekend to check out their inaugural spring festival xZooberance. My in-laws were in town so we were excited to show them our zoo for the first time. I was hesitant that there wouldn’t be beautiful flowers and many of the animals would be inside because it was cold and rainy. Despite the cold and rain, we ended up spending six hours at the zoo and still didn’t see everything there was to see!

xZooberance is Here!

Debuting just in time for spring break, the Indianapolis Zoo’s brand-new festival begins March 21 and continues every Thursday through Sunday until April 7. The Zoo will be open 9am-5pm with event activities running from 10am-4pm. The cheerful spirit of the season will shine throughout the Bicentennial Pavilion, where oversized pinwheels spin in the breeze and brightly colored kites float overhead. Amid a vibrant landscape filled with larger animal-shaped topiaries and a living wall of plant life, visitors can enjoy continuous live entertainment with a changing lineup for all 12 days.

What Can I Expect?

I talked about some of the activities, musical acts and food options within the press release I put out last week but I wanted to elaborate a little. Under the large covered area there is a roaring fire which is surrounded by all kinds of activities for kids and grown ups alike. One of my favorite activities was the flower arranging mini workshop. You’re able to learn several different flower arrangements so you can do them yourself at home! We were also huge fans of the dance group Kenyetta that blew us away with their modern dance. We also couldn’t head to the rest of the zoo without stopping to get some hot chocolate to warm ourselves up!

Is it Free?

xZooberance is included with your admission tickets for the zoo. Another amazing perk is you can also see the Butterfly Kaleidoscope presented by Citizens Energy Group as well as the new dolphin show for free! I was very impressed with the length and messaging of the dolphin show. It was perfect for my 5 year old and 8 month old!

Best of all, xZOOberance as well as the other exhibits and activities are all free for Zoo members and included with regular admission. Guests are encouraged to save time and money by planning their visit in advance at IndianapolisZoo.com

Related Posts:

xZooberance Festival Debuting at the Indianapolis Zoo
Summer Concerts at the Indianapolis Zoo

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xZooberance Festival Debuting at the Indianapolis Zoo

We’re so excited about Spring just around the corner and one of our favorite spring adventures is to head to the Indianapolis Zoo. The weather is perfect for playful animals and low crowds. This year they’ve got a fun festival in store called xZooberance that we’ll be checking out this weekend! Here are the details:

xZooberance

Debuting just in time for spring break, the Indianapolis Zoo’s brand-new festival begins March 21 and continues every Thursday through Sunday until April 7. The Zoo will be open 9am-5pm with event activities running from 10am-4pm. The cheerful spirit of the season will shine throughout the Bicentennial Pavilion, where oversized pinwheels spin in the breeze and brightly colored kites float overhead. Amid a vibrant landscape filled with larger animal-shaped topiaries and a living wall of plant life, visitors can enjoy continuous live entertainment with a changing lineup for all 12 days.

Music headliner Hiss Golden Messenger will bring their unique blend of folk, country and rock music to the main stage at 6pm March 30, with the Jai Baker 3 opening at 5pm. The Zoo will stay open late for this special concert so that guests can dance into the evening hours.

Additionally, the festival main stage will host local acts like Dance Kaleidoscope, Dumpster Drummers, Cathy Morris and more. At The Perch, guests can interact with storytellers, meet chickens, learn about nature and create their own musical sounds.

Food & Beverage


Nearby in the Cheer Garden, guests can unwind and sample specialty food items, like Bavarian pretzels, kettle chips and picnic snacks, plus craft beer, wine and kid-friendly refreshments. Extra activities like animal-inspired yoga and a sculpture scavenger hunt will have guests moving all over the Zoo. Children will enjoy making a beautiful pinwheel craft, and guests can even create spring-themed enrichment for the Zoo’s animals.


Adding xZOOberance in with moderate seasonal temperatures, active animals and the return of the Zoo’s seasonal exhibit, Butterfly Kaleidoscope presented by Citizens Energy Group, makes spring an ideal time of year to visit the Zoo. Plus, xZOOberance attendees will be among the first to experience the new dolphin presentation, which introduces audiences to the Zoo’s pod as well as Central Indiana families who are taking simple steps to help dolphins in the wild.


Best of all, xZOOberance as well as the other exhibits and activities are all free for Zoo members and included with regular admission. Guests are encouraged to save time and money by planning their visit in advance at IndianapolisZoo.com

About the Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Zoo empowers people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation. Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. Visit IndianapolisZoo.com

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