The 5th Annual Brew at the L.A. Zoo, one of summer’s most popular events for guests 21 and over, returns on Friday, August 7, 2015, 7 to 11 pm, featuring an after-hours visit to the Zoo with beer samples from 55+ local craft and microbreweries and an eclectic music lineup….see below.

Throughout the evening’s route, food options are available for purchase, including Bavarian glazed cinnamon roasted almonds, old fashioned kettle corn, garlic fries, sandwiches, burgers, chicken, popcorn, soft pretzels, cinnamon-dusted churros, carnitas, burritos, street tacos, elotes, tamales and LA “street dogs.”

Guests with VIP Lounge tickets, which are $99 per person, dine at select stations at Reggie’s Bistro and the Elephant Circle’s Thai Pavilion. Reggie’s Bistro offers a buffet, with early entry from 6 pm (until 10:30 pm), with Korean BBQ chicken wings, crispy BBQ pork, sweet onion poutine, green chili and gouda mac-n-cheese, beef sliders with red cabbage slaw, and lime-beer butter potato skins with crispy chorizo. The Thai Pavilion presents snack stations from 7 to 10:30 pm with assorted gourmet cheeses and garnishes, grilled and marinated vegetable platters, German pretzel-cheddar fondue and an assortment of flavored popcorn and house-made kettle chips. Also available are specialty cocktails from Snow Leopard Vodka and The Bloody Cure as well as exclusive access to several breweries.

The Spazmatics, who have to be seen to be believed, bring sounds, styles, and “way cool” dance steps from the 1980s, a decade they say they’d “love to forget.” Complete with skinny ties, Brillcreemed hair and horn-rimmed glasses, The Spazmatics recapture all the best of the worst. Outstanding musicianship combined with creative flair and style makes for an evening of pure energy and entertainment. Their motto: so tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1999; only it’s not!

The Black Canyon Band, Simi Valley’s premier live act, was formed by longtime friends Gary Usher Jr., Ryan O’Connor and Eddie Montes. With the inclusion of Alex Naylor, this quartet has burst into the Ventura County music scene with a fun “let yourself go” sound at events such as the Aloha Beach Fest, the Ventura Beach Party, block parties, corporate events and many live music venues in Simi Valley and Ventura.

Casual Encounters Live Band Karaoke, featuring guitarists Eric Volfango and Rosh Roslin, drummers Rich Smith and Timmy Sean Mahoney, bass player Graeme Hinde and vocalists/MCs Manny DeCoria and Jay Miramontes, specialize in making every singer feel like a rock star. Their huge song list with something for everyone, even guests too shy to sing initially, has been featured at parties for Converse, TMZ, NBC’s “The Voice,” Wells Fargo, Hard Rock Café and FantaSea Yacht among others.

DJ Johnny Hawkes’ indelible mark on the dance music scene with signature mixes of hip-hop, funk, R&B, electro indie and classics keeps him an in-demand DJ at exclusive events, clubs, fashion shows, and movie premieres throughout the world. He’s had residencies at the Playboy Mansion, MyStudio Fridays, I Want MyHouse Music Thursdays, Libertine “SundownMotel” and “Friday Night House.” He has also played at exclusive parties at the Sundance Film Festival and has complied custom mixes for Louis Vuitton, COACH, Fendi, MetLife, Blaque Label, Blaque Market, SoHo House Beverly Hills, Montage Beverly Hills and Chateau Marmont.

Tickets in advance are $50 general admission, $45 for Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association members and $25 for Designated Drivers (includes free fountain drink refills all evening at four Zoo locations). Tickets at the door, if available, are $55 general admission, $50 for GLAZA members and $25 for Designated Drivers.

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Free parking is available. For additional information, call (323) 644-6042. www.lazoo.org

For more info about this event and the full list of breweries, be sure to check the website. *participating breweries subject to change

What Brew at the Zoo
Where: Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.
When: Friday, August 7, 2015, 7 to 11 pm
Phone: (323) 644-6042
Website: www.lazoo.org