Tag: Niabi Zoo

June Events – Quad Cities

The onset of summer and the Memorial day mark the beginning of many local events. With short trips during the weekends, get the most of the summer and the warm weather. Here is a heads up on June events in and around Quad Cities.

  1. American Pickers Weekend – Visit LeClaire, Iowa for the annual event on June 4th and 5th based on the famous History Channel show ‘American Pickers’. Visit the levee for free music and other shows.
  2. Superman Celebration – The annual celebration from June 9th to 12th provides a unique opportunity to view hundreds in the Superman costume in Metropolis, Illinois.
  3. Mardi Gras in the District – The downtown Rock Island will  host the Mardi Gras festival on June 10th and June 11th hosting entertainment and providing festive mood.
  4. Tom Sawyer Day – Visit the boyhood home of Mark Twain in Hannibal, MO and celebrate the Tom Sawyer Day on June 11th apart from other free events.
  5. Music on the Lawn – The Butterworth center hosts free  music show on June 15th at 9.30 am and 1 pm by famous band.
  6. Quad City Air Show – The Davenport air show is a must watch on June 18th and 19th. It costs $15 per adult, $6 per child, free for children under 3. Book tickets online or at local Hy-Vee stores.
  7. Back Water Gamblers – The free ski show by the volunteers is performed at Rock Island every Wednesdays and Sundays at 6.30 pm up to Labor day.
  8. Butterfly Day – The Quad City Botanical Center will host the butterfly show for children on June 19th 1pm to 3pm at the rate of $5 per person.
  9. Niabi Zoo Wildfest – The zoo and local sponsors host special events and activities for children apart from the regular zoo admission. Niabi zoo is hosting the kids wild fest on June 25th from 9.30 am to 5 pm.
  10. Blossoms on the Butterworth – Visit the Butterworth Center in Moline on June 26th 12 pm to 5pm for the free event and goodies.

Enjoy the events and let me know if you find any more. 🙂

Niabi Zoo – The Wild Fest

Niabi zoo in Coal Valley, Illinois is a great outing for children and adults. This Saturday along with the local sponsors Niabi Zoo conducted a ‘Wild Fest’ event. Businesses from Quad cities advertised apart from conducting games and offering cool coupons in the zoo today.

Animals

I got a chance to visit all the dear animals including:

  • Asian elephants – Very huge under a small shade
  • Australian kangaroo – Quietly resting
  • African Giraffes – I love the two baby ones with beautiful stripes. The female giraffe is cute and the male one enjoying getting wet in the water fountain. The giraffe bends its neck and legs to reach the grass on the ground, which is amazing to watch.
  • African Lions – Mustafa, the male lion is gorgeous and beautiful
  • American bald eagle – my son’s favorite
  • Reptiles – Anaconda, pythons and Texas snake which are scary to watch
  • American black Bear – With lots of apples and a swimming pool!!
  • Colorful fishes and turtles
  • Bobcat – Really big ones

There are many other birds and animals which I will see in detail next time when I visit.

Rides

We all took the train ride with a ringing bell. The carousel ride with animals seats was good. My son took the pony ride which I think is painful for the animals. The rides are affordable and I think they are under-priced for the benefit of the people.

The Wild fest today included many inflatable slides and play areas for children. The zoo installed water sprinklers and water fans everywhere to keep the visitors cool. 🙂

Overall, the zoo is worth visiting in the summer when all the animals are grazing around. It was sad to leave the zoo and I wish they had extended the summer hours.

The zoo has special events and free days for children and adults. You could host a birthday party or have breakfast with animals or enjoy a casual picnic or get together with friends. I could just sit and watch the lion whole day. 🙂