Zoofari Ball XXXIV

The Santa Barbara Zoo has been giving the wildest party in town for 34 years. The 500 or so animals don’t seem to mind when it’s time for the Zoofari Ball – this year’s theme was Summer Camp with the campsite being the hill at the Zoo. It was definitely glamping, not camping.  

Some 650 campers climbed the hill and had to watch out for “wild” animals (statues) that weren’t in pens, from horses, to buffalo, to bears and mules. Camp counselors brought back memories singing those old tunes we were all taught. Photo ops abounded. The silent auction was huge and everyone wondered who would win the big trip to Fiji at $100 a ticket with a limit of only 200 tickets sold. Congratulations Liane Winter!

Rincon Events did their usual outstanding canapés. Read: really heavy hors d’oeuvres like grilled cheese, deviled eggs, and bacon wrapped dates. Dinner had everything from mac and cheese to chicken kabobs, salmon, and tri-tip.

Camper of the Year was Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree who has attended over twenty Zoofari events and given so much to the Zoo. Camp coordinators were Lisa Carter-Alford, Taryn Choquette, and zoo director Nancy McToldridge.

Dancing under the stars to the Replicas ended another Zoofari to benefit our zoo and the planet. The zoo opened its doors in 1963 and is deemed one of the best small zoos in the nation. I’ll toast to that!