Latest news with #WildNights
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
After last year's drone show disaster, is a scaled-back Vivid working?
That brings us to 2025, and the festival feels scaled back. The drone show was scrapped, citing safety risks and increasing costs. The usual suspects – Customs House and the Opera House – are all lit up, but there are fewer installations at Circular Quay and the Rocks than in previous years. While there are more individual light installations across the city than there were last year, there is no Royal Botanic Garden activation and no Wynyard Tunnel event. Light displays now have free entry in 75 per cent of cases, but the light walk – which previously stretched from Circular Quay to Central – is split across smaller precincts around the city, including Martin Place and the Goods Line. 'When people think of Vivid, they think of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge – when they get there, they aren't expecting most of the stuff to be somewhere else,' said John Gilly, who has covered the festival on his blog, Sydney Spectaculars, since 2014. 'The precincts have spread everything out … which is why people may think it's not as entertaining as in the past, but the main stuff is still there.' This isn't the first time the festival has been split up. Over the years there have been activations in Kings Cross and Chatswood, as well as the Wild Nights display at Taronga Zoo. While the strategy means visitors to Circular Quay are seeing fewer installations, many view this as the best way forward for Vivid. 'It's more spread out – and that's a good thing,' said Business Sydney's Paul Nicolau. 'We should be highlighting not just the harbour but all the other places, like Martin Place and the Goods Line. I think we should expand it, we should look out to other areas like Parramatta Road and Victoria Road.' Getting tourists out to Sydney's decrepit arterial roads might be a stretch, but Parramatta Mayor Martin Zaiter is at a loss as to why Sydney's famous winter festival doesn't extend to its growing second CBD. 'Parramatta Square and our beautiful town hall, that's where old meets the new,' Zaiter said. 'Parramatta Park, Old Government House, definitely there are those options for Vivid to expand to. 'It's a no-brainer.' While the light pillar of the festival may be missing a headline event this year, Tourism Minister Stephen Kamper said the food, including the fire kitchen at the Goods Line, has been a major motivator for visitors. 'Saturday night alone saw a record-breaking 51,169 diners at restaurants across the Vivid Sydney zones – the highest ever for a single night in the event's history,' he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
After last year's drone show disaster, is a scaled-back Vivid working?
That brings us to 2025, and the festival feels scaled back. The drone show was scrapped, citing safety risks and increasing costs. The usual suspects – Customs House and the Opera House – are all lit up, but there are fewer installations at Circular Quay and the Rocks than in previous years. While there are more individual light installations across the city than there were last year, there is no Royal Botanic Garden activation and no Wynyard Tunnel event. Light displays now have free entry in 75 per cent of cases, but the light walk – which previously stretched from Circular Quay to Central – is split across smaller precincts around the city, including Martin Place and the Goods Line. 'When people think of Vivid, they think of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge – when they get there, they aren't expecting most of the stuff to be somewhere else,' said John Gilly, who has covered the festival on his blog, Sydney Spectaculars, since 2014. 'The precincts have spread everything out … which is why people may think it's not as entertaining as in the past, but the main stuff is still there.' This isn't the first time the festival has been split up. Over the years there have been activations in Kings Cross and Chatswood, as well as the Wild Nights display at Taronga Zoo. While the strategy means visitors to Circular Quay are seeing fewer installations, many view this as the best way forward for Vivid. 'It's more spread out – and that's a good thing,' said Business Sydney's Paul Nicolau. 'We should be highlighting not just the harbour but all the other places, like Martin Place and the Goods Line. I think we should expand it, we should look out to other areas like Parramatta Road and Victoria Road.' Getting tourists out to Sydney's decrepit arterial roads might be a stretch, but Parramatta Mayor Martin Zaiter is at a loss as to why Sydney's famous winter festival doesn't extend to its growing second CBD. 'Parramatta Square and our beautiful town hall, that's where old meets the new,' Zaiter said. 'Parramatta Park, Old Government House, definitely there are those options for Vivid to expand to. 'It's a no-brainer.' While the light pillar of the festival may be missing a headline event this year, Tourism Minister Stephen Kamper said the food, including the fire kitchen at the Goods Line, has been a major motivator for visitors. 'Saturday night alone saw a record-breaking 51,169 diners at restaurants across the Vivid Sydney zones – the highest ever for a single night in the event's history,' he said.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Western lowland gorilla ‘Nyati' dies at St. Paul's Como Zoo
A western lowland gorilla 'Nyati' born at Como Zoo in October 2017 has died, according to zoo officials. Nyati was euthanized on Tuesday following what zoo officials say was 'a significant decline in her quality of life due to long-term neurological complications.' The gorilla's medical issues started in 2020 with a diagnosis of Baylisascaris procyonis — a parasitic infection likely contracted at a young age. It was successfully treated but the parasite caused permanent brain lesions leading to gradual degeneration that affected her coordination, mobility, and motor skills. For the last five years, veterinary and animal care staff at the zoo provided the gorilla with support such as medications, physical therapy, environmental modifications, and consultations with specialists. 'Nyati was deeply loved, not just by her care team, but by everyone who came to know her,' said Wes Sims, director of Animal Care and Health at Como Zoo, in a statement. 'Her life was shaped by medical challenges, but also by resilience, thoughtful care, and compassion. The decision to let her go was extremely difficult, but it was the most humane option for her.' Nyati was a member of Como Zoo's family troop of western lowland gorillas. She was the daughter of Schroeder and Alice, and lived alongside her parents and fellow troop members. Western lowland gorillas originate in central and western Africa and are critically endangered. In the wild, they face threats such as habitat loss, poaching, and disease outbreaks. Como Park Zoo visitors witness birth of baby sloth Cloud Cult, the Cactus Blossoms and Nur-D to headline the Minnesota Zoo's Wild Nights Vulnerable animals find new homes after Roseville aquarium closure Name a Bug fundraiser turns political — and profitable — for the Minnesota Zoo
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Minnesota Zoo reveals lineup for its Wild Nights concert series
Over five Fridays this summer, the animals at the Minnesota Zoo will be serenaded when the Wild Nights outdoor concert series returns. The annual series of outdoor shows boasts a lineup of nationally renowned local groups that will put folk, hip-hop, indie rock, jam bands, and DJs on the Apple Valley stage. The lineup, unveiled on Tuesday, includes Nur-D, Cloud Cult, Wookiefoot, The Cactus Blossoms, and The Big Wu as headliners. The Friday night get-togethers kick off on June 13 and pop up once every two weeks through its closing night on Aug. 8. Tickets are $30 for Minnesota Zoo members and $40 for non-members. All of the shows are 18+. Here's what's on the slate for the 2025 Wild Nights series. June 13Nur-DSmells Like NirvanaLighter Co. Daphne Jane June 27The Big WuDavina and the VagabondsBloodlineThe Cobra Trio July 11The Cactus BlossomsBad Bad HatsGully BoysColin Bracewell July 25WookiefootCaptain FantasticFree FallinNici Peper August 8Cloud CultSweet & Tender HooligansDJ Jake RudhAlexis Rose
