Eat drink man woman ... bird, otter, asian bear cat

Capitalizing on the success of the Wine and Stein event, an annual afterhours party at the zoo for the 21 and over set, on Thursday Potter Park will hold its first Zoo Brew event, a new monthly series lasting through August, designed for grownups to enjoy the park kid-free. Guests are invited to enjoy food, drink and live music in the company of Potter Park’s furry and feathery denizens.

While Zoo Brew shares many similarities with Wine and Stein (such as any human being attending must be age 21 and over), the aim is for a more relaxed atmosphere. Admission is only $5; early admission is granted to those who buy tickets in advance at potterparkzoo.org. Food and drink are extra.

The zoo’s catering team will be firing up the grill for those who bring their animal-sized appetites. For $5, guests have their choice of hamburgers or brats with corn on the cob. And as the name implies, there will be a selection of white and red wine along with beer and craft beer.

Each Zoo Brew event will have a different theme for the live music, and all three feature Lansing based bands. To start things off, June’s musical theme will be alternative, featuring the acoustic duo the Tenants. July travels to the other end of the musical spectrum with country music from the North Country Flyers. Lastly, for those who always wanted to share a last call sing-along of Journey’s anthemic “Don’t Stop Believing” with an Asian Bear Cat, August will feature classic rock by the New Rule.

Facilities have been situated so that the party will carry on rain or shine, but Zoo Brew shouldn’t be mistaken as just an excuse to be a “party animal” with the party’s animals. The proceeds from Zoo Brew, as well as all of Potter Park Zoo’s public events, go towards funding renovations for the zoo and supporting the zoo’s educational programs.

Zoo Brew

Potter Park Zoo 5-9 p.m., Thursday June 26 1301 S Pennsylvania Ave, Lansing $5 (517) 483-4222, potterparkzoo.org