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BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — There’s no better way to spend a weekend then waking up to a hearty breakfast, and then spending Saturdays and Sundays out on the town, visiting some of your city’s popular locations. And for those in Bismarck or the surrounding areas looking to take a walk on the wild side, the Dakota Zoo is offering a series of events this Summer that combines the two into a fun early-morning experience.
Breakfast at the Zoo is an event that has taken place for many years at the Dakota Zoo, and one that has quickly become a favorite of the community. Even — Darrin Frohlich — a former volunteer for ten years and the board member who currently presides over the event — wasn’t around for its initial inception, but is determined to uphold the tradition. In addition to providing time for people to connect with the staff and animals of the establishment, the morning meals help raise additional funds that can be used to care for the zoo’s animals.
“It’s a great fundraiser for the zoo,” Frohlich explains, “and it also helps with the community. It brings people in for special occasions.”
The event began at 8:00 a.m., where visitors to the Dakota Zoo were able to enjoy a home-cooked breakfast in the event area consisting of pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, juice, and coffee.
After finishing their food, guests could take their time and walk around the entirety of the Dakota Zoo — which opened early for the day along with the breakfast. Not only does this provide event attendees with more time to take in everything the zoo has to offer, but both the guests and staff report that many of the most popular animals in the establishment are more spritely early in the day, especially their wolves, bears, and larger animals in general.
“One of the nicest parts about the whole thing is that you’re here before the rest of the crowd is here,” Frohlich states, “so you’ve kind of got a captive audience. You get to see the animals before everybody’s out, and the animals are more active in the morning. Towards the afternoon, they have a tendency to go back into their houses, but early mornings, they’re out and doing stuff.”
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When KX took a look around the zoo, we noticed that many of the creatures the zoo features — including the grizzly bears, big cats, foxes, wolves, and hoofed mammals –were up and active during breakfast time. As the staff say, this is also a perfect time to check out some of the establishment’s newest residents — such as a recently acquired sloth and a set of ferrets.
If you’ve been thinking about taking a trip to the zoo, there’s no better time than breakfast time — not just to enjoy the food, but also to spend more time with the many animals who inhabit the grounds. Frohlich states that the community response to these morning meals has been tremendous, and that the Dakota Zoo itself always looks forward to them.
“Everybody has a good time when they come in,” he states. “There’s plenty of food to eat, there’s plenty of places to sit, it’s a great atmosphere, and it’s a great setting. You’ve got the Zoo as a backdrop, and it’s a beautiful day this morning.”
The Dakota Zoo will be holding multiple other breakfast events this summer, so don’t worry if you couldn’t make it to this one. Here’s a list of the other Saturday morning meals that you can take part in.
- June 24, 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- July 22, 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- August 19, 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- September 9, 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Each Breakfast at the Zoo admission costs $10 for Dakota Zoo adult members, or $5 for child members. Non-member tickets are $20 for adults, and $15 for children.
