Brew at the Zoo Returns to Forest Park on Aug. 3

SPRINGFIELD — The Zoo in Forest Park will host its sixth annual Brew at the Zoo on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 1:30 to 5 p.m.

This 21+ event offers adults a unique way to enjoy the zoo with samples from more than 20 local breweries and home brewers, live music, food trucks, games, and a raffle, all while visiting with the animals at the zoo. Brew at the Zoo has become a fan favorite on the zoo’s event calendar, selling out each year. It is the zoo’s largest fundraiser, raising money for the daily care of more than 225 animals that live at the zoo year-round.

“We look forward to Brew at the Zoo all year,” said Sarah Tsitso, executive director of the Zoo in Forest Park. “This event raises much-needed funds that provide high-quality care for our animals, 365 days a year. The vast majority of our animal residents live here because they have been deemed non-releasable, for a variety of reasons, and thus would not survive on their own in the wild. It’s our job to take care of them.”

This work speaks directly to the zoo’s mission to inspire the community to respect and value the natural world through education, conservation, and rehabilitation.

A limited number of VIP tickets are available, which include extra time to sample the beer, as well as interactive animal encounters and keeper talks with members of the zoo’s animal-care and education teams. The VIP time slot runs from noon to 1:30 p.m.

The zoo will be closed to the public for this ticketed event on Aug. 3. Advance tickets are required, and all IDs will be checked at the door. No one under 21 will be admitted. For a list of participating breweries and to purchase tickets, visit www.forestparkzoo.org/brew.