Friday, August 1 from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. in the North Meadow at the Woodland Park Zoo (5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103). 

Transportation: Parking on own (see details below), shuttles provided (see details below)

11:00 a.m. – (If registered) Family & Friends Tour at 615 Westlake begins

~11:30 a.m. – First shuttle departs the Allen Institute

11:45 a.m. – Family & Friends Tour ends

12:00 p.m. – Lunch served and party begins on the North Meadow

12:30 p.m. – Animal encounter 1

1:30 p.m. – Animal encounter 2

2:30 p.m. – Bar closes, last call for lunch

3:00 p.m. – North Meadow closes, time to head to the Zoo!

6:00 p.m. – Zoo closes, time to head home!

6:30 p.m. – Last shuttle departs the Zoo

To enter the summer party, Allenites will need two different QR codes: one for Zoo entry, and one for North Meadow entry. Be sure to have both printed or ready to show on your phone, and please share them with guests arriving separately from you — don’t delete or forward it to anyone outside your registered guests. You can find the North Meadow QR code for you and your group in the guest kit which was shared with you via registration email. Show this one to the check-in team at the North Meadow.

Yes you will be able to use the zoo QR code when the zoo opens, and it is good for any time that day. The zoo is open from 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.  You will not be able to enter our Allen Institute summer party until it begins at 12. Regarding entering the zoo multiple times throughout the day, we recommend you chat with the gate staff about coming and going, it might be possible.

Bypass the ticketing windows and proceed straight to the entry point at the gate. Show the Gate Attendant the Zoo QR code above. The Gate Attendant will scan the QR code. If you or a guest are a member at the zoo, make sure to show your membership card to the attendant instead.

Here is an interactive view of the zoo.

You can edit your registration through Thursday, July 27. This means editing names, removing guests, or canceling your registration if your plans have changed.

We strongly encourage you to double-check your details now to help us ensure a smooth check-in process on event day. Last-minute edits may not be possible. Need help? Contact  Events so we can support you ahead of time.

We invite all Allenites and up to 6 guests. All guests must be registered with their first and last name, but do not need to provide an email. Guests not attached to your registration will not be admitted. Need to include more than 6 guests?
Email Events for help adding them to your registration. 

Allenites can freely edit their guest list through July 27. Click the “view your registration and QR code” link at the bottom of your confirmation email. Once on the event homepage, click “Edit registration,” and you edit from there.

Canceling or removing guests from your registration does not put them into a holding queue for other Allenites to claim, as our system has no functionality for registration transfers. Once cancelations are completed, those guests counts are deleted from the system.

We are implementing a limit to ensure smart resource allocation for the party. By having a realistic understanding of attendance numbers in advance, we can more effectively manage food, beverages, space, and overall logistics to create an enjoyable and well-organized experience for everyone. The 6-guest limit aims to accommodate most family sizes, but we know there may be some exceptions. 

No, to successfully register you must have already completed the registration form during the registration period, which was May 12 – June 27.

The Events team will work with Talent Acquisition to invite all incoming Allenites through Monday, July 28. If you want to double-check that your incoming Allenite received an invite or already registered, please email events@alleninstitute.org. 

After you register online, you will be able to add this event to a calendar of your choosing when you click “view your QR code and registration” in your confirmation mail, click the “add to calendar” button, and select which calendar you would like this event to be added to. You can also choose to forward the invite. 

Many delicious eats will be available including southern fried chicken, Cajun Kale Jambalaya (vegan & GF), Beecher’s mac & cheese, corn bread, potato salad, spring mix greens, watermelon slices, kids turkey dogs, and Dippin Dots. We will have vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available. Beverages will be plentiful with wine, beer, seltzer and other non-alcoholic options.

We will have a variety of activities for all ages to enjoy! Activities include the Shutter Bus photo booth, an inflatable bounce house, face painting, creative tabletop activities, two animal encounters (12:30pm and 1:30pm), and of course the main event, roaming the zoo! To learn more about activities available at The Woodland Park Zoo, check out their daily event schedule.

Shuttles:

The Allen Institute will be providing shuttles running regularly between the Institute and the Woodland Park Zoo Lion Lot, leaving the Institute starting at about 11:30 a.m. and the last bus leaving the zoo at 6:30 p.m.  Guests can also use the shuttle, as long as they are with their Allenite host. Shuttles will not run on a set schedule between the first and last buses, and instead will run on an as-needed basis based on demand.

To use the shuttle, Allenites can board from the loading zone on Roy St., and must show the driver their Institute badge. Guests are also welcome to use the shuttle as long as their Allenite host is present to display their badge for their group. Guests without an Allenite host present will not be able to ride the shuttle.

Parking:

If you choose to drive to the zoo, you will need to street park or pay for your own parking. Parking is $8 for the first 2 hours; $3 for each additional hour (+ taxes and fees). Zoo parking is limited and not guaranteed. You can download the PayByPhone app to make an easy, no-touch payment or pay at the “Pay Here” kiosk. The kiosk will generate a receipt that needs to be displayed on the vehicle dashboard. The zoo recommends parking in Otter Lot (Inner North) – connected to Penguin lot, located at 601 59th St., or the Bear Lot (North) – located at 59th and Evanston.

Please note, that weekend is the Seafair festival, so expect traffic delays. 

• Allen Institute badge – especially important for riding shuttles
• ID – if you are 21+ and plan on drinking alcohol
• Water bottle (we will have several water fill stations)
• Sunscreen will also be available at the event, but you may want to bring your own, too
• Picnic blanket – there will be open grass area to lay out in the sun or shade. You are also welcome to bring a folding chair for use in the meadow during our event only but they may not be used elsewhere in the zoo
• Zoo entry QR code – coming in know before you go email on July 25
• North Meadow party QR code – received when you registered/accessible via your guest kit which was shared with you via registration email
• (Optional) Zoo membership card, if you have one (saves the Institute the price of your admission!)

Please keep all alcoholic beverages inside the North Meadow at all times. Finish or dispose of alcoholic beverages if you are leaving the North Meadow for any reason. 

Restrooms will be available right across from the North Meadow, behind the ZooStore off of the West Entrance. There is a mother’s room available behind the carousel on the north side of the lawn. 

No, sorry! Pets are not allowed in the zoo except for service animals. If you have a certified service animal, you must check in with guest services and get registered with the zoo. If you have a certified service animal onsite that behaves in a way that disturbs other animals, you may receive a warning or be asked to leave.

After 3:00 p.m., feel free to stay and explore all the Woodland Park Zoo has to offer until closing at 6:00 p.m. If you took the shuttle from the Allen Institute, we will have shuttle service running all the way until 6:30 p.m. so you can take your time walking around the zoo.