A young visitor to the Wild Summer Lights speaks to a vibrant, glowing 12-food-tall sculpture of a macaw which flaps its wings and repeats simple phrases — such as her name.
This is one part of the mile-long, interactive display with music, light tunnels and these fabric and wire animal sculptures. The displays were provided by Tianyu Arts & Culture Inc., which has displayed in dozens of U.S. cities.
Mesker Park Zoo Director Erik Beck said these special events fund activities beyond what the city provides.
“Whether it's our conservation projects, acquiring new animals, helping fundraise to build new exhibits, as well as things like marketing and development and social media and websites and all the things you think about making a successful attraction do.”
He said expenses for things like food for the animals and paying regular utility bills are up, making such events even more important than before.
These include Boo At the Zoo and Zoo Brew.
The city funds core functions of the zoo such as staff, facilities and maintaining the horticulture department. The Zoological Society picks up where the city leaves off, though has strict parameters concerning what it can fund.
Beck says after expenses, Wild Summer Lights will net “six figures,” while the zoo faces a tight 2026 budget with few places to cut.
“We don't have many levers to push or to pull, to find a lot of dollars around the zoo, because obviously animal care and the people that we need to have on zoo grounds to take care of those animals doesn't go away, even when budget cycles wax and wane.”
Food for the animals — whether grains or meat, have increased this year, and long with medical supplies and procedures.
Comparable pressures also affect all other city departments, as revenue is lost to property tax cuts and expenses increase.
Beck said the zoo has proposed $6.6 million in expenses. Next year they’re asking for $1.2 million in capital funds, mainly for improvements to existing facilities.
Wild Summer Nights ends the weekend of Oct. 2 though 5, but Beck hopes to bring it back next year.
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