Hub Goes to: Universal Kingdom Prehistoric Nights at Illuminate Adelaide

Where? Adelaide Zoo
When? Select Nights from the 4th till the 21st of July 2024
Rating: 4 Stars

‘Step back in time and into the Mesozoic Era to a land where puppets, lights and dinosaurs collide.’

A collaboration between creative studios Erth and A Blanck Canvas SA power Networks and Adelaide Zoo, the Universal Kingdom Prehistoric Nights transforms you back to a prehistoric world with a combination of interactive puppetry, activities and large-scale displays.

This event knows its family-friendly audience and caters to them extremely well. Whilst the last Illuminate Zoo event was primarily stagnant large-scale displays, this event combines those large-scale displays and overhead projections with smaller dinosaur puppets, puppet displays which the audience can take part in such as jellyfish alongside activities such as face painting, fossil digging and conservation awareness.

The usage of mixed forms of entertainment and interactivity where different areas of the zoo come alive with dinosaur action, as indicated by light-up star signs, make the experience unique to every attendee. There is always something new that allows for hours of tailored high-quality entertainment. Whilst I wasn’t necessarily the target demographic I still had a really fun time as dinosaurs are factually the coolest animal.

Ample seating was provided and the event was extremely accessible with minimal stairs and ramps provided when stairs were present. There was also themed food, merch and beverages available for purchase catered to both young and old. I did have the dinosaur nuggets, they healed my inner child.

Overall I think that it is really important in festivals such as Illuminate to have large-scale events catered towards a younger audience. Universal Kingdom: Prehistoric Nights successfully catered towards that audience having a strong balance of interactive, educational and display events. Older dinosaur enthusiasts and fans of the zoo alike would also have a great time like I did, exploring the ‘dinosaur dynasty’ that the Zoo has been transformed into.