Zoobilee! Feast with the Beasts 2023 Program

ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO presents

Saturday, June 24, 2023

PRESENTED BY

Dear Zoobilee Guests,

Welcome to one of our favorite evenings of the year Zoobilee! Feast with the Beasts is back, and we have a fun evening planned for you.  Starting at the main entrance you probably noticed some changes, and a large dinosaur! Strolling through the Zoo under a lush canopy of green, sampling delicious food and drink, perhaps encountering an animal or two – and meeting up to chat with friends and listen to music – we think it is a grand way to kick off the summer. As a guest tonight you will also have the opportunity to explore Dinosaurs Among Us along the nature trail.

Did you know that Roger Williams Park Zoo was recently named one of the top 20 zoos in the country by U.S. News & World Report? According to the publication, “... while not all zoos are created equal, the editors at U.S. News used an extensive research process to create this list of the top zoos in the country. All the destinations receive favorable traveler reviews on multiple websites, are accredited by AZA – an organization focused on the well-being and care of animals – and have been evaluated by experienced veterinarians and animal care specialists.”

The Zoo is a treasure not just for the local Rhode Islanders but has become a destination for many visitors throughout New England. Your support tonight is critical to our success, the accolades and work being accomplished are thanks to supporters like you.

We are so thankful to the restaurants, caterers and beverage purveyors who support Roger Williams Park Zoo by donating their service and their wonderful food and drink. You get to enjoy a great party, too, and it all combines to advance the Zoo’s mission to conserve wildlife and wild places. You might already be aware that we support projects and programs that protect giraffes in Kenya, frogs in Chile, fish in Peru, tree kangaroos in Papua New Guinea in addition to protecting native New England species right here in Rhode Island. What you might not know is that YOU are helping make that happen right now by joining us for Zoobilee.

Bank RI is our presenting sponsor again this year, along with a number of corporate sponsors, and I hope you will join us in recognizing their support. It is a genuine privilege to work in a community that so highly prioritizes its zoo as an educational and recreational institution along with being an advocate for wildlife. We humbly thank our sponsors and hope you will do the same when you have an opportunity.

Finally, it is a pleasure to give a shout-out to our event Chair, Pamela Heffernan and the Zoobilee Event Committee for their energy, creativity, and perseverance. Their hard work combined with that of the RWP Zoo staff team have outdone themselves again to produce this festive gathering for an important purpose.

Cheers!

Greetings Zoobilee Guests,

Tonight’s event marks the official kickoff to summer, and we are thrilled that you are celebrating Zoobilee! Feast with the Beasts with us this year!

This event showcases and celebrates our loyal supporters, community partners, and our wonderful staff. The evening helps us shine a light on our beautiful Zoo grounds, and the animals that we are proud to care for and nurture.

As you enjoy the local food and beverages, dance, and catch up with friends and colleagues, don’t forget to look around. Walk along the Zoo trails and see the life size dinosaur exhibit on the nature trail; look up in awe at the new giraffe shade structure; and check out the area being prepped for the state-of-the-art Education pavilion; all these amazing upgrades and changes are happening now, with more to come in 2024.

Your support tonight is critical to our continued success. Admissions tickets do not cover all the costs to maintain our grounds though. We also rely on all our events and generous donors like you to help care for our diverse animal population and habitats that meet and exceed the requirements of modern-day zoos.

I hope you enjoy all the delicious food and beverages provided tonight by the finest restaurants and caterers in the area. And, there’s still time to bid on our online auction, there are wonderful items to bid on including unique Zoo experiences, weekend getaways, and sporting events.

And finally, a heartfelt thank you to our presenting sponsor, Bank RI, as well as my fellow Zoobilee committee members, the Zoological Society Board of Trustees and all the companies, organizations, and individuals who have generously contributed to Zoobilee. And special thanks to the participating restaurants, Zoo staff and volunteers who commit their time and hard work to make the evening a fun and safe experience for everyone.

And thank you to all of you for your continued support; we are Zoo-per grateful!

Enjoy the evening!

Main Program Upper Zoo/Entertainment Tent

7:45 – 8:15 p.m.

• Tony Petrarca and Kelly Kaulnian – WPRI News Team

• Stacey Johnson, RIZS Executive Director

• Pamela Heffernan, Chair, Zoobilee

8:15 – 9:15 p.m.

Mystique

9:00 p.m.

Last Call at Lower Zoo Bar

9:45 – 10:55 p.m.

Mystique

10:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Last Call at Upper Zoo Bars

Not To Be Missed

5:40 – 5:50 p.m.

Interactive Bird Show

6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Dinosaurs Among Us Plaza

Education Animal Encounters Zoo-Wide

Sampling of Animal Exhibits open until dusk

6:00 – 10:45 p.m.

Wine & Beer Bazaar

7:00 – 7:10 p.m.

Interactive Bird Show

7:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Zoo-Wide

Upper Zoo

Farmyard Stage

Dinosaurs Among Us Wetlands Trail

PRESENTING SPONSOR

ELEPHANT ENTOURAGE

SNOW LEOPARD LEAGUE

Janci Foundation

Sponsor listing as of 6/23/23

BISON BRIGADE

TREE KANGAROO CREW

Beacon Mutual Insurance Company

Captain Morgan

Coastline Trust Company

Domenic & Sandy Coletta

The Color House

Dimeo Construction Company

First Hartford Realty Corp.

Pamela & Bill Heffernan

Jonathan & Maya Nelson

Saccoccio & Associates

Architects

Textron

GIBBON GANG

A.B. Munroe Dairy, Inc.

Bentley Companies

The Bentley Foundation, an affiliate of DiSanto, Priest & Co.

Bootstrap Compost

Arthur Bradford & Caitlin Clark

David & Kelsey Coletta

Maureen Dumas & Craig Gulla

Foster Veterinary Clinic

Stephen & Diana Lewinstein

Marcum LLP

Liz & Frank Mauran

Miles River Direct

Navigant Credit Union

Jane S. Nelson

Parsons Kellogg

Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP

Ron & Joanne Patalano

SDS Disposal, Inc.

The Stoico / FIRSTFED Foundation

Washington Trust

TORTOISE TROOP

Nancy J. Allen

Jean, Rachel & Becky Aubin

Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort

Roxanne Beretta, Realtor RE/MAX

Big Blue Bug

Martha Bower

Sarah Denby

Zack Denoncour

Eastern Ice

E.W. Burman, INC.

Ferestien Feed & Farm Supply Inc

Meg Ferguson

The Holt Family

Alden G. Hough

Ron & Linda Isaacson

Lahlaf Geotechnical Consulting, Inc.

Patrick T. LeBeau and Meghan Rawson

McAdams Charitable Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Norman McCulloch, Jr.

Jack Murray & Lynn Morgan

NEC Solar

North-Eastern Tree Service Inc.

Donna Ottaviano, Ed.D. - East Bay

Educational Collaborative

Pier Fish Company

Karen & Stephen Prest

PVD Food Truck Events

Signature Printing

Spirol

David & Jill Wolff

Woodlawn Gardens Florist

Mario Zocchi & Tonya Brainsky

SPECIAL THANK YOU

Rhode Island Zoological Society Staff

Roger Williams Park Zoo Staff

Sponsor listing as of 6/23/23

ATTENTION GUESTS:

Photographs will be taken by Zoo staff during the course of the evening for use in future public relations materials such as our annual report, on-site event promotion posters, invitations, or on social media.

Your Generous Support Makes a Difference!

• engaging and educating the public

• bringing the wonder of wildlife to the community

• saving threatened and endangered species •

Thanks to

food and beverage providers!

DINOSAURS AMONG US PLAZA

(SERVING TIME 5:30-7:30PM)

Barefoot Wine & Bubbly

Little Rhody Foods / Del’s Lemonade

LOWER ZOO

(SERVING TIME 6:00-8:30PM)

Chaska

Kabob and Curry

Legal Sea Foods

The Original Italian Bakery

Providence Bagel

Rasa

Rasoi

Service Systems Associates

Snookers Sports Billiards Bar & Grill

Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille

Trinity Brewhouse

TwoTen Oyster Bar

Union Station Brewery

UPPER ZOO

(SERVING TIME 6:00-9:30PM)

110 Grill

Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar

Dolores

Edible Arrangements

GPub

Granny Squibb’s Organic Iced Tea

Hill’s Home Market

The Martucci Group featuring:

Besos, Chianti’s Catering, KAI, Pasta

Patch, Safehouse, The Trap Brew Pub & Grill

Mill’s Tavern Restaurant

Neon Marketplace

Not Your Average Joe’s

Res American Bistro

Vita Coco spiked with Captain Morgan

XACO TACO

DESSERTS & COFFEE

GG’s Pretzels

Gregg’s Restaurants

Sarcastic Sweets

Service Systems Associates

Starbucks Coffee Company

Syroya’s Bakery

Three Wishes Bakery

Val’s English Tea & Pie Shop

BEVERAGE PROVIDERS

Douglas Wine & Spirits

Eastern Ice

Pepsi Bottling Company

Vita Coco spiked with Captain Morgan

DRINK TICKETS - $3 EACH

1 ticket

2 tickets

3 tickets

Soda/Bottled Water

Beer/Wine/Mocktail

Zootinis & Mixed Drinks

these fabulous

A Behind-the- Scenes

VIP Elephants Encounter

VALUE: PRICELESS

Be a Keeper for a ‘Day’

VALUE: PRICELESS

A Behind the Scenes

VIP Sloth Encounter

VALUE: PRICELESS GET-AWAY

An Original Komodo Dragon Painting

VALUE: PRICELESS

7 Night Stay in Panama at Los Establos Boutique Inn

VALUE: $3,750

Nantucket Day Trip for Two

VALUE: $162

What you need to know:

WINE & BEER BAZAAR

Help support the Zoo and purchase a wine bottle or a six pack of beer with a surprise gift certificate valued at $25 or more

There’s still time to bid!

The online auction is open for bidding until Monday, June 26, 12:00 p.m. Visit biddingforgood.com/ rwpzooauction

Don’t forget to save room for desserts near the gift shop

Last Call is at 10:30pm Buy your drink tickets

Visit the new Grab & Go Bar Stop by the American Association of Zookeepers booth to learn more about its mission to advance professional animal care and conservation.

2023 Zoobilee Online Auction and Wine & Beer Bazaar Donors

110 Grill

Aidan’s Pub

Nancy J. Allen

Alpine Country Club

Amanda Klein Co.

The AMP

Andino’s Restaurant Anonymous

Apponaug Brewing Company

Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar

Audubon Society of Rhode Island

Avon Cinema

Ballet RI

Bally’s Twin River Lincoln

Barrington Books

Battleship Cove

Bayside Resort

The Beef Barn

The Block Island Ferry

Boston Professional Hockey Association

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

Bradford Portraits

Broadway Bistro

Bromley Mountain

Cabot Creamery Cooperative

Susan Callori

Cape Codder Resort & Spa / Catalina

Hospitality Group

Capital Genealogy

Cardi’s Furniture Co.

Carl M. Freeman Companies

Cat Country 98.1FM- WCTK

Catering by Dave’s Marketplace

CAV Restaurant

Charles Riverboat Company

Chow Fun Food Group

Cindy Ko Photography

Circe Restaurant

Citizens

Coast Guard House

Sandra L. & Domenic M. Coletta

Maxine Colvin

Concord Museum

Cox Communications

Cumulus Media

Daniel Doke Photography

Dave & Buster’s

DeQuattro Restaurant Group

DeWolf Tavern

The Discovery Museums

Douglas Wine & Spirits

EcoTarium

Edible Arrangements

Effectv

Enchanted Lotus

Endicott Dance

Cindy M. Erickson

Escape Rhode Island

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat

Evelyn’s Drive-In

Mathew Ferreira

Mary & Heriberto Figueroa

Foxwoods Resort & Casino/ CAO

Frances Fleet

The Freedom Trail Foundation

Gamm Theatre

Gather Glass

Ghost Tours of Newport, RI

Gillette Stadium

Gooseneck Vineyards

Graduate Providence

Grapes & Grains Fine Wine & Spirits

The Great Escape Room Providence

Groundswell Cafe & Bakery

The Guild Pawtucket

Shandi Hanna

The Hard-Pressed Cider Co.

Hartford Yard Goats

Harvard Museums of Science and Culture

Hawthorne Hotel

Pamela & Bill Heffernan

Henry Bear’s Park

The House of the Seven Gables

Hy-Line Cruises

The Institute of Contemporary Art/ Boston

International Tennis Hall of Fame

Jackson Ski Touring Foundation

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Cynthia C. Kaplan

Kay’s Restaurant

Knights Wine & Spirits

La Gondola Providence

Lake of Isles

Legal Seafoods

LEGOLAND New York

Luciano’s

Mary Originals

Massachusetts Audubon Society

Massage Envy Spa

Matunuck Oyster Bar

Karen Melo Ticas

Mohegan Sun

Montaup Country Club

Mulligan’s Island Golf & Entertainment Center

Mystic Seaport Museum

Naples Zoo

Narragansett Beer

National Baseball Hall of Fame

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill

New England Revolution Charitable Foundation

New England Wild Flower Society

Newport Art Museum

Newport Bay Club & Hotel

The Newport Experience

Newport Playhouse

Newport Restaurant Group

Newport Vineyards

Norman Bird Sanctuary

Not Your Average Joe’s

Old Sturbridge Village

O’Rourke’s Bar & Grill

Alayna Paquette

Pats Peak

Peabody Essex Museum

People’s Liquor Warehouse

Phantom Farms

Douglas Phillips

Pittsburgh Steelers

Plimoth Patuxet Museums

Red Stripe Restaurants

Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel

Rhode Island Monthly

Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and Music School

RI Rainbow Nail Spa

RISD Museum

Rock Spot Climbing Gym

Ross-Simons Jewelers

Rota Portrait Design

Salem Witch Museum

Showcase Cinemas

Signature Printing, Inc.

Sky Zone

Snookers Sports Billiards Bar and Grill

Sandra Sosa

Splitsville Luxury Lanes and Howl at the Moon

Springfield Museums

The SSA Group

Starbucks Coffee Company

Stop & Shop

Story Land

Studio B Salon

Tavolo

Telemundo

Thames and Kosmos

Theatre By The Sea

Three Wishes Bakery

The Tree House Tavern & Bistro

Treetop Adventures

Triggs Memorial Golf Course

Trinity Repertory Company

United Skates of America

Weekapaug Inn

Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery

Whisky Mentors

Wines & More

Wonderworks Orlando

Woodlawn Gardens Florist

Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket

Steamship Authority

WPRI 12 & Fox Providence

Wright’s Dairy Farm Inc.

Yip Fitness

Zoo Atlanta

Zoo New England

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Thank You for Your Support!

We are grateful for your presence tonight. It is through your support at events like Zoobilee, that the Zoo is able to contribute to the conservation of our earth’s animals and natural resources.

Because of YOU this year we are able to:

• Create memories for nearly 800,000 guests.

• Provide exceptional medical care to over 606 Zoo animals.

• Bring the Zoomobile to over 4,000 school children last year.

• Share the importance of wildlife conservation with thousands of students who come on field trips, engage with the Zoomobile, partake in virtual programming or participate in internships.

• Provide curriculum appropriate environmental science programming to over 150 schools in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

• Save animals both locally and globally including the American burying beetle, New England Cottontail, red wolf, Matschie’s tree kangaroo and snow leopard.

Thanks to you, Roger Williams Park Zoo continues to instill a sense of wonder and caring for the natural world in all those who visit.

2023 Zoobilee Committee Members:

Pamela Heffernan, Chair

Nancy Allen

Claire Carrabba

Cheryl Cohen

Maxine Colvin

Bob Conrad

Sarah Denby

Cindy Erickson

Jennifer Foster

Elizabeth Grover

Judy Lockard

Karen Silva

Tempie Thompson

Lauren Ustaszewski

Zootini Cocktail Bar

Here’s your once-a-year chance to enjoy a refreshing Zoothemed cocktail! All proceeds from the Zootini Cocktail Bar (and all Zoobilee bars) benefit the Roger Williams Park Zoo. So, have a great time (responsibly) while helping out a worthy cause.

Donated by Douglas Wine & Spirits

Wine & Beer Bazaar

Purchase a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer for $35 and win a gift certificate guaranteed to be valued at $25. But most are worth much more! Do you want to win a gift certificate to area restaurants, tickets to local attractions, spa treatments and more? Then pick up a bottle or a six-pack (or two) to win!

Groove to the Music of Mystique

Put on your boogie shoes and dance the night away! Named Boston A-List’s Best Wedding Band of 2014, Mystique likes to party and it shows. They play a wide variety of music with a high energy performance that you won’t soon forget!