Wild Summer Nights at the Utica Zoo: Thursday Evenings All Summer Long

Looking for an easy, relaxed way to spend a summer evening in Central New York? The Utica Zoo is bringing back Wild Summer Nights in 2026, turning ordinary Thursdays into laid-back evenings of live music, outdoor movies, food, and animals seen in a whole new light.

Here is everything you need to know, plus where to stay when you make a weekend of it.

What are Wild Summer Nights?

Every Thursday from July 9 through August 27, 2026, the Utica Zoo stays open later than usual, all the way until 7:00 p.m. The zoo runs straight through from its regular 10:00 a.m. opening, so Thursdays are effectively 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with no midday closing. It is a perfect setup for a family outing, a casual date night, or simply a chance to wander the grounds when the sun is lower and the crowds are thinner.

Each week you will find:

• Live music in the Rotary Pavilion, right next to the concession stand
• Polly’s Concessions serving dinner, snacks, and ice-cold beer, wine, and seltzer for guests 21 and over
• Kids’ activities, plus the bounce pillow and playground
• More than 200 exotic and domestic animals on exhibit throughout the evening

Best of all, there are no special tickets or reservations required. Wild Summer Nights is simply extended hours, so all you pay is regular zoo admission.

Cinematic Safaris: movies under the stars

On three select Thursdays, the zoo hosts Cinematic Safaris, outdoor movie screenings projected in Pangea Plaza, right outside the new Bull Reef habitat. Films start around 8:00 p.m., timed to dusk, so bring a blanket or a comfy chair:

• July 9: Hoppers (Disney and Pixar, rated PG)
• July 23: Finding Nemo (rated G)
• August 27: Zootopia 2 (rated PG)

Movie nights are regular zoo admission plus $5 per person. Tickets can be purchased ahead online or, if not sold out, at the ticket window that evening.

Live music lineup

Here is who is taking the stage each Thursday night:

• July 9: Shawn Smith
• July 16: Tom and Ashley Nitti
• July 23: Isaac French
• July 30: Sydney Irving
• August 6: Justin Smithson
• August 13: Remsen Social Club
• August 20: Max Scialdone
• August 27: Gary Johnson

Admission

Because Wild Summer Nights is just extended hours, you only pay standard zoo admission:

• $11 for adults ages 13 to 61
• $8 for children ages 3 to 12
• $10 for seniors 62 and over, and students with ID

You can confirm dates, performers, and movie tickets on the Utica Zoo Wild Summer Nights page.

Where to stay near the Utica Zoo

Make a weekend of it and stay just a short drive away at Grand Colonial Bed and Breakfast in historic Herkimer, NY, about a 25-minute drive from the Utica Zoo. Our welcoming inn pairs comfortable, individually appointed rooms with a homemade breakfast each morning, so you can spend your evening at the zoo and still wake up rested and well fed.

A few reasons guests choose Grand Colonial:

• A made-from-scratch breakfast featuring local ingredients
• All four guest rooms are pet-friendly, so the whole family is welcome
• A $10-per-night discount for returning guests
• Easy access to the zoo, Cooperstown, the Herkimer Diamond Mines, and the rest of the Mohawk Valley

Ready to plan your visit? Learn more about staying with us as a bed and breakfast near Utica, browse our guest rooms, and book direct for our best rates. Questions? Give us a call at (315) 982-5004.