The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens hosted its 11th Annual Brew at the Zoo on Friday night, November 10. As the sun began to set after 5pm, families headed out of the gates after a day touring the zoo's habitat and animal exhibits. Near the same time, a different set of animals (who turned out to be some party animals) started making their way to the Zoo entrance for an evening of beer, spirits, food and music.
Held each year in the fall, this is one fest that doesn't require much advertising. Tickets went on sale around September 5, and less than 24 hours later, the VIP tickets were sold out, according to JJ Vitale, Public Relations Manager. Ten days later, the general admission tickets were all sold. The 2016 Fest raised over $175,000, according to Brew at the Zoo sponsorship literature. Proceeds from the event benefit the care of the Zoo's 2000+ animals and 1000+ plant species. Each year, the Zoo hosts over 1 million visitors, and reaches over 100,000 local children through its educational programs, free admission and field trips. This is a large Fest, with over 2600 people attending in 2016.