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Mesker Park Zoo to host Wild Summer Lights Aug. 14–Oct. 5; parks staff detail August events and volunteer opportunities
Summary
Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden will host Wild Summer Lights Thursday–Sunday Aug. 14 through Oct. 5, with tickets sold in advance and proceeds shared under a revenue-share partnership. Parks staff also outlined several August events, cleanup and volunteer activities.
Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden will present Wild Summer Lights, a ticketed after-hours lantern festival, Thursday through Sunday evenings from Aug. 14 through Oct. 5, zoo officials told the Evansville Parks and Recreation Board.
Eric Beck, executive director of Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden, said the event is a revenue-share partnership with the festival company and that artists from China have spent several weeks assembling displays at the zoo. Ticket prices announced during the presentation were $18 for adults, $16 for children and $3 off the child price for members; tickets must be purchased in advance at meskerparkzoo.com.
Why it matters: the event is a new revenue-generating evening program for the zoo intended to attract families and visitors during late summer and early fall, and it will require evening operations and marketing resources.
Beck said the display installation involved “over eight semis” of materials and that organizers did a light test described as “magical.” He said the festival has run at larger zoos and botanic gardens nationwide and is now coming to a secondary market such as Evansville. Marketing will include outdoor, radio, television and digital advertising; the festival operator will review and approve the zoo’s marketing plan as part of the revenue-share arrangement.
Parks staff also outlined a slate of community events and volunteer opportunities in August. Highlights presented by Danielle included:
- Music in the Park, 6–8 p.m. at Van Park (organized by the Evansville Parks Foundation). - Movies in the Park (Stockwell Park), Friday, Aug. 8, film: Elemental; start time when darkness falls. - Park Squad cleanup at Line Street Park, Saturday, Aug. 9, 9–10 a.m. - Puppies and Police event at Van Pollack Park, Sunday, Aug. 10, noon–2 p.m. - Park Chat, Aug. 14, 6 p.m., Washington Square Mall (topics: awards 1 and 2). - TP Park Splash Pad celebration, Aug. 22, starting at 4 p.m.
Danielle said event flyers would be emailed to board members and encouraged community participation; she described growing volunteer engagement at parks this summer and noted the park-squad program as an entry point for families and corporations to volunteer.
The zoo presentation included a short promotional video and staff said the event will run for eight weeks. Board members applauded the preview and asked about dates and ticketing; Beck confirmed the schedule and pricing listed above.
Messages and tickets for Wild Summer Lights are available at meskerparkzoo.com. Park staff said additional event details and flyers would be distributed to board members by email after the meeting.
