Cocktails and charcuterie help Wonders of Wildlife satisfy people ‘hungry for experiences’

Wonders of Wildlife is giving consumers a new kind of experience: the culinary and boozy kind.

Over the last two years, the marketing, education and events teams have been increasing the number of food and drink-focused soirees at the aquarium.

“After COVID, we wanted to have special events in unique settings, and WOW and Dogwood Canyon are the perfect backdrop,” said Samantha Gerhart, public relations manager for the Johnny Morris Foundation, which includes the aforementioned attractions and Top of the Rock.

There’s a monthly Wood Burning & Charcuterie class. During the course, you learn how to build a charcuterie board with the help of 417 Charcuterie, and then burn your own design into the board, which is yours to keep.

The Sip & Sea series is all about sampling local libations while ogling exotic fish.

On Aug. 11, learn to muddle mint and nurse a peach mojito during the Cocktails and Glass Etching class.

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is getting in on the fun, too. Earlier this year, there were wine dinners where you could savor vino and a five-course meal as you basked in the view of the 40-foot cascading waterfall outside.

The park recently added a sunny-side breakfast tram with a mimosa bar before the tram tour.

“We always have something new coming,” Gerhart said.

These events are also a reflection of the times: We are hungry for experiences.

According to a 2019 poll by Momentum Worldwide, a global marketing agency, 76% percent of consumers would rather spend money on experiences than material goods.

Courtney Williams owns 417 Charcuterie and has noticed an increase in demand for in-person events.

“During COVID, everyone was in their home and missed that interaction with people. People are tired of physical gifts and want an experience. During the holidays, I have had to put 15 classes on the books because people want to give classes as a gift,” Williams said.

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Learn to burn and build charcuterie board

One of the first big culinary events at WOW was Love in the Wild, a Valentine’s dinner held in the Great Barrier Reef room, which has a soft sapphire glow and is adorned with sharks and whales.

The longest running foodie event at WOW is the Wood Burning & Charcuterie class, which is so popular it’s held monthly.

“We want these classes to teach you a new skill,” said Gerhart.

The evening is capped at 40 people and tickets are sold in pairs.

Here’s how it works: a team from WOW teaches you how to burn your own wood boards. There are a variety of stencils, but people can also design their own idea. Some people burn nautical signs into the wood, many opt for their family name.

Then Williams steps in and explains how to build a charcuterie board.

“You want at least three cheeses, soft and hard. You learn how to cut different cheese. People ask me all the time ‘What do you pair it with?’ I bring dips to show you want this taste or that taste,” she said.

You’ll learn how to transform salami into an edible rose for your tray. Each board has a seasonal element. The class is three hours and one hour is the charcuterie instruction. Everyone gets a free drink and there is a bar where they can buy more. Then nibble on your charcuterie as colorful fish dart around the aquarium.

“It is my favorite thing to do because the mood is totally different than anything I can do in my shop,” Williams said. “I started my business as a hobby because I was tired of being a stay-at-home mom, and now I get to work with one of the biggest companies. I am so thankful.”

Pandemic Zoom call led to 417 Cocktails

A more recent event is the Cocktails and Glass Etching class featuring instruction from 417 Cocktails, a business owned by Mandi Fritz.

Before COVID hit, Fritz owned a meal delivery service and made desserts. When everyone went into lockdown, she realized she didn’t love her business anymore.

“I was able to rethink what I liked and didn’t like. I started day drinking like most of us. My sister lives in Kansas City and the first Zoom call we did was awkward. We were like ‘we have to figure out something to do on this Zoom call,’ so we started making different cocktails together,” she said.

When the farmers markets reopened, Fritz bought local ingredients to make simple syrups, sugar rims, garnishes and more. With her sister’s encouragement, she launched 417 Cocktails and creates drink kits. Each kit contains a recipe and all the ingredients you need to craft a cocktail minus the alcohol. She invents a new kit every month.

Fritz was thrilled with she was asked to teach a class at WOW.

During the evening, Fritz teaches people how to make two cocktails: one shaken and one stirred.

Part of the night includes a lesson on glass etching from experts provided by WOW. Participants get to etch their own highball glass to take home and then assemble a cocktail kit.

Partnering with local businesses is an exciting part of all this, said Gerhart.

“Everyone absolutely loves these different classes,” Gerhart said. “People love a fun night at the aquarium after hours. We are going to keep coming back with new and exciting one-of-a-kind experiences. We hope to keep adding more food and beverage events to our properties.”