On August 28, the country’s zoos and wildlife parks will once again welcome visitors with special evening programs: this year’s central theme for “Night at the Zoos” will be “Facts and Myths in the Animal Kingdom.” Thirteen institutions are participating in the initiative, preparing spectacular animal shows, educational presentations, and interactive programs.

The evening will focus on the well-known stories and beliefs that have surrounded the animal kingdom for generations. Are moles really blind? Do hedgehogs really carry apples on their backs? Can bats get tangled in human hair? Experts from the zoos will answer these and many other similar questions.

A World of Film and Evening Animal Shows in Budapest

At the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, programs will run from 7:00 p.m. to midnight on August 28, and this year’s theme will be complemented by special film-inspired elements. Throughout the evening, the audience will be able to see, among other things, tiger feeding, elephant training, lion and giant otter feeding, a snake encounter, and a diving demonstration. In the Palm House, visitors can even experience a brief tropical rain shower.

On the stage in front of the main gate, musical and visual performances will follow one another: Kolos will perform, followed by the Tűzfészek Fire Juggling Troupe; later, Zoltán Hanga will talk with Péter Müller Sziámi, and Boggie will perform one of the evening’s concerts.

The film theme will be featured at several venues. Topics will include behind-the-scenes secrets of filming veterinary operations, nature photography, dinosaurs in movies, the world of film sound, and how Hollywood can distort the public perception of certain animal species. Late into the evening, numerous other programs will be running continuously, including planetarium shows, light painting, interactive games, arts and crafts workshops, and virtual reality experiences.

An Evening Walk, Seal Training, and Dinosaurs in Veszprém

The Veszprém Zoo is also joining the nationwide event with extended hours. One of the evening’s main attractions is a themed guided walk starting in the Gulya-domb area, where visitors can learn more about the animals’ evening activities with the help of a guide. A separate guided educational walk will also take place in Dino Park, where visitors can wander among the T. rex and its companions. The park will remain open until 8:45 p.m. on this evening.

As part of the program, a seal training session and a spectacular feeding will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the harbor seal pool. In addition, researchers from the Pannon University Center for Natural Sciences will welcome visitors with a science outreach booth, and a musical performance on the terrace of the restaurant next to the African Savannah playground will add to the evening’s atmosphere.

The Veszprém Zoo also encourages guests to explore the zoo at night with flashlights, while asking them not to disturb the resting animals with bright lights.

An evening when zoos show a different side

Night at the Zoos is special year after year because it offers an experience quite different from the usual daytime visit. After dark, the animals behave differently, and the enclosures and animal houses take on a different atmosphere, while the programs use a playful approach to bring visitors closer to the often misunderstood phenomena of nature and the animal world.

This year, 13 zoos and wildlife parks are participating in this nationwide event, so on August 28, in addition to Budapest and Veszprém, special evening adventures await families at several other locations as well.

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