Feast with the Beasts in Eureka Springs
EUREKA SPRINGS – Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge will celebrate 31 years of providing sanctuary to rescued big cats and bears at a very special event to be held on Saturday, April 29, from 3:30-8 p.m.
This event is the first of its kind that Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge has hosted on the property. Guests will enjoy a happy hour in the Discovery Area amongst the big cats with cocktails, appetizers and live music. Visitors will then enjoy a special tram tour followed by dinner which will also be served in the Discovery Area. Guest speakers Carole and Howard Baskin from Big Cat Rescue in Florida will attend and speak.
Big cat sanctuaries across America celebrated when President Joe Biden signed The Big Cat Public Safety Act into law on Dec. 20 of last year. “We want to come and join Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in celebrating their anniversary and passage of this important legislation,” Carole Baskin stated.
“We have hosted other events here at Turpentine Creek,” Tanya Smith, president and founding member, shared. “But this will be the first time we’ve done anything like this near the animals. People always ask about feeding time which is done in the morning before we open to the public out of respect to the animals. We thought it would be a lot of fun to reverse roles and feed the people.”
In addition to good food, and live music, there will be both a silent and live auction with proceeds benefiting the animals at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge.
The Refuge will also share never-before-seen footage of rescues. Tickets to this special event are limited so those interested in attending should make sure to get their tickets before the event sells out. Visit shop. turpentine creek. org and select Feast with the Beasts 31st Anniversary Event.
The 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa and the Best Western Inn of the Ozarks have room blocks available for out of town guests. (Must book with the 1886 Crescent Hotel before April 1 and with the Inn of the Ozarks before April 15 to take advantage of the room block.)
Founded in 1992, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and rescue operation protecting survivors of the exotic animal trade. The 459-acre refuge, located 7 miles south of Eureka Springs, is an ethical animal tourism destination. The organization does not buy, sell, trade, loan out or breed its animals, and they do not offer cub petting or harmful pay-for-play opportunities. They are accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, an American Association of Zoo Keepers member, and licensed by the USDA and Arkansas Game and Fish. Their mission is to provide lifetime refuge for abandoned, abused, and neglected “Big Cats,” with emphasis on tigers, lions, leopards and cougars.
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge has rescued and provided sanctuary and assisted other accredited sanctuaries and zoos in rescuing and transporting over 500 animals since their inception. For more information, visit tcwr.org.