3 special events to check out this month at Butterfly House & Aquarium, Great Plains Zoo

This paid event listing is sponsored by the Great Plains Zoo.

From ocean exploration to an adults-only night, June is filled with new and memorable events at the Great Plains Zoo and Butterfly House & Aquarium.

Mark these down and prepare for some up-close and immersive experiences!

World Ocean Day: June 8

Both the Butterfly House & Aquarium and Great Plains Zoo are ready to celebrate this Saturday, which marks World Ocean Day.

The zoo will host special chats with its penguin keepers at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in front of the penguin exhibit.

And of course, it’s a huge day at the Butterfly House & Aquarium campus.

“Every day, this team works to bring the coast to our landlocked state,” said Denise DePaolo, director of PR and marketing for the Great Plains Zoo. “World Ocean Day is a chance to celebrate those connections, showcase the incredible species we care for, and learn how we can all help conserve vital aquatic habitats.

Explore and collect 11 different creature cards hidden throughout the building as part of a scavenger hunt.

Once you’ve completed the hunt, stop by the Conservation Alley to let your creativity flow with World Ocean Day coloring sheets. Want to color outside the lines? You can create your own ocean animal art using holographic stickers!

Here from experts at 10:30 a.m. with a ray and shark dock talk and at 2:30 p.m. with a coral exhibit expert chat.

And finally, if you need a place to relax, there will be Octonauts playing in the Discovery Den all day long!

Flutterfest: June 22

Head to the Great Plains Zoo from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for an educational event focused on pollinators, especially the butterfly. This event is included with admission and will allow you to learn more about the zoo’s conservation program for the Dakota skipper butterfly and how you can help save pollinators in the wild.

“Pollinators are a critical part of our prairies, but more than that, we rely on them for most of the food we eat,” DePaolo said. “We hope guests will be inspired to make small changes in their everyday lives to support the life cycles of butterflies, bees, and other important pollinator species.”

It’s the culmination of World Pollinator Week, which will feature education stations and a new pollinator activity every day from June 17-22.

Zoofari: June 27

This one is just for the adults — and get ready for some fun.

From 5 to 9 p.m., enjoy this after-hours expedition to raise funds for the mission of bringing all elements of land, sea and sky to one campus.

Your inner explorer will come to life as you:

• Enjoy Vespa Catering’s continental-themed food and dessert stations throughout the Zoo grounds
• Feed the reticulated giraffes
• Learn from the zoo’s animal care and education experts
• Meet the adorable farm and ambassador animals
• Interact with butterflies and marine life
• Tour the veterinary clinic
• And take in all the exciting new things that are happening at your Great Plains Zoo!

“It’s not every day that adults get the zoo to themselves,” DePaolo said. “Zoofari will be an immersive experience throughout the zoo campus, with good food and drink, lots of animal encounters, and the chance to ask all your burning animal questions.”

To purchase tickets, click here.