PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

One lucky bidder and a guest will embark on the trip of a lifetime next year to the Amazon rainforest. Another will invite three guests for a rare behind-the-scenes hardhat tour of Little Caesars Arena, the soon-to-be new home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons. These are just two of the extraordinary prizes to be offered in the live auction at the Detroit Zoological Society’s annual Sunset at the Zoo fundraiser.

Themed “Green is the New Black” in celebration of the Detroit Zoological Society’s award-winning sustainability initiatives, Sunset at the Zoo takes place on Friday, June 16, from 7 to 11:30 p.m., rain or shine.

The live auction includes “zoonique” experiences as well, including a decadent dinner for 12 at a favorite animal habitat at the Detroit Zoo. Also up for bid are the opportunity to spend a day with a Zoo veterinarian, a zookeeper-in-training experience, and “hoppy hour” for 12 at the National Amphibian Conservation Center.

In addition, mobile bidding for the Sunset at the Zoo silent auction is underway. Bidders can submit offers in advance on their smartphones through GiveSmart and need not be present at the event to participate.

More than 60 silent auction items are up for bid, including front-row seats at a Detroit Tigers game, a Mackinac Island getaway, his-and-hers Shinola watches, and a chef-prepared sushi and sake night at home. The auction also features experiences such as the opportunity to have breakfast with the butterflies, mingle with the macaronis and rendezvous with the rhinos at the Detroit Zoo.

To view the complete catalog of silent auction items and participate in mobile bidding, visit https://sunset2017.auction-bid.org/microsite/. Bidding will close at 10:30 p.m. on June 16; winners will receive a confirmation text on their phones.

Presented by Strategic Staffing Solutions, Sunset at the Zoo offers a strolling supper with tastes of signature dishes from more than 45 of the area’s finest restaurants as well as desserts and zoo-themed drinks. The event also features live entertainment, dancing under the stars and access to many of the Zoo’s award-winning animal habitats as the sun goes down.

Supporter tickets for the 21-and-older soiree are $175 per person in advance; Patron tickets are $300 in advance and include a VIP reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on June 16. Supporter and Patron tickets may be purchased at the gate the day of Sunset for $200 and $325, respectively. For information and tickets, visit www.detroitzoo.org/sunset.