Case Study: How a Rain Plan Turned the Minnesota Zoo Foundation’s Beastly Bash Into Its Best Year Yet

October 2, 2025

When you plan a 600-person fundraiser at the Minnesota Zoo, you dream of crisp fall nights, sweeping treetop views, and the magic of dancing under the stars. While that’s the dream, sometimes Mother Nature has other plans. This year, the Minnesota Zoo Foundation’s Beastly Bash faced just that: a forecast calling for lightning and heavy rain that forced the entire event indoors with only 24 hours’ notice.

And you know what? It turned out to be spectacular.

The Big Decision

Do Good Events worked with the Zoo to set a “go/no-go” point months in advance. Thursday at 1:00 p.m., the day before the Friday event, was the hard deadline. That timing allowed key vendors, especially the AV team scheduled to load in later that afternoon, to avoid costly resets.

The wrinkle? Tents had already been installed on Wednesday—through a downpour. The tenting vendor braved the weather, set everything up, and then had to turn around and dismantle it all once the rain plan was activated. It was a vivid reminder that contingency plans affect every layer of the event ecosystem.

When weather reports showed lightning and heavy rain, it was time to make the call. Even if the skies cleared by event time, all the décor, furniture, and staging would have been soaked and we had no control over what the weather was about to do. The decision was clear: move inside.

And the next day, as setup began, the storm delivered. It poured through setup, lightning cracked during the program, and rain kept coming throughout the evening. The team joked, “Just let it storm—make this worth it,” and it did. Guests instantly understood the wisdom of the decision, validating the move indoors.

The Pivot

Moving indoors wasn’t just about shifting locations—it meant reimagining the entire guest journey.

Guest Experience

Digital signage and strategically placed volunteers guided guests seamlessly through the new footprint.
Fundraising activations were front-loaded: the Golden Ticket raffle greeted guests right at the entrance and sold out for the first time ever (150 tickets!). The silent auction was positioned front and center too, and it raised 96% of value, which was one of the strongest showing in the event’s history.
Animal experiences didn’t just survive the move; they thrived. Guests enjoyed a penguin photo opp inside the penguin enclosure, close-up moments with porcupines and skunks, and roaming encounters with lizards and even cockroaches.
Guests got hands-on with the mission through creating animal enrichment products. They could drop their bid paddles to donate toward these items turning philanthropy into a tangible, engaging activity.

Atmosphere & Energy

A 360° photo booth and extra lighting created unexpected “wow” moments.
AV teams transformed plain hallways into lively passages with moving lights and uplighting.
Indoors, the floral installations popped against clean white walls, creating a more dramatic effect than they might have outdoors.
The after-party doubled down on fun: a 14-person LED foosball table and LED mini golf joined the DJ and dance floor to keep energy soaring well into the night.

Program & Flow

The amphitheater was smaller and trickier to seat comfortably, but the auctioneer, DJ, and AV team pivoted to build momentum in the compact space.
Catering adapted service points to the new footprint, ensuring food and drink remained accessible without overwhelming tight corners.

Behind the Curtain

Perhaps the most remarkable feat? The Minnesota Zoo remained open to the public until 1:00 p.m. on event day. This meant the entire indoor transformation, AV load-in, décor, signage, staging, and animal activations, had to be completed in less than four hours before 600 guests arrived at 5:00 p.m. Vendors, staff, and volunteers hustled in lockstep to pull off what seemed impossible, and the result looked effortless to guests.

The Result

What could have felt like a downgrade became one of the most memorable Beastly Bashes yet. The indoor spaces offered intimacy, natural lighting (hello, Discovery Bay), and closer connections with animal ambassadors. Guests raved about the warm, inviting atmosphere. Some even said it was the best Bash to date. And we can’t leave out the fact that the generosity was palpable as Golden Ticket sales happened, silent auction bids soared, Live Auction was action-packed, and the giving moments showed up as a spectacular culmination of the event.

The event became a reminder that the right mindset—and the right rain plan—can turn a crisis into a highlight.

3 Lessons for Your Own Rain Plan

Set a decision deadline. Choose a specific time to make the call, stick to it, and protect your vendors from whiplash.
Draft a preliminary rain plan early. Even if details shift, having a framework in place makes the pivot smoother.
Commit with confidence. Once the decision is made, don’t second-guess. Clear direction allows every partner to sprint toward the new plan.