Each summer, unique bands and artists are selected to perform at the Woodland Park Zoo’s “ZooTunes” concert series. The annual concert series contains fun and entertaining events that have become a staple in Seattle over the past 30 years. The concerts began in late June, and continue through August. Set against the backdrop of Woodland Park Zoo’s North Meadow, concert gates opened at 5pm, and the music began at 6. Tickets, to be purchased ahead of time, normally cost about $39 and sold out quickly. Concert goers often brought blankets or low back chairs to eat dinner and listen to the performance from. Seating on the grass filled up quickly because of the concert’s popularity, so it’s advisable to arrive as soon as the gates open at five. There were restrooms and ATMs located conveniently around the seating area, as well as designated parking for concert attendees, which made your night convenient. Additionally, during the extra hour of time you had before the performance began, there was a wide variety of activities to do. As you arrived at the meadow, multiple food trucks and booths were already set up around the outskirts of the field and there are many options of what to do once you have set up your chairs or blankets. At the venue, numerous food options were available for dinner, such as the ZooTunes grill, which offered dinner options as well as desserts. There were also ice cream stands and carousel rides for anyone wishing to have fun with time to spare. Even after the concert started, it was still possible to purchase food from any of the vendors as the evening went on. Another popular option was to pack your own picnic dinner or snacks, which are allowed during the event. The most recent and final concert took place on August 19th and featured Kenny Loggins. Loggins is well known for his country-rock music, his most famous song being Footloose. The venue was packed with people young and old, many of whom knew the lyrics to the majority of his songs and enjoyed dancing to their favorite tunes. Before Loggins performed, Mycle Wastman, a country singer, performed a few of his songs as well, successfully warming the crowd up for the headlining artist. At the end of his set, Loggins performed three encore songs, much to the enjoyment of the crowd. By the time the performances were over, the sun was beginning to set and families began to head home from a night well spent. ZooTunes is a fun summer activity for everyone, families and friends alike. The concerts will resume again next June and have become a staple seasonal activity for many people in Seattle, so head out to see one of your favorite artists or even try someone new next summer! Featured Photo: Fans pack the zoo in anticipation for the night’s performer, Kenny Loggins. Photo by Anna Galbraith
