Akron Zoo
Akron
Visiting the zoo is already a wild experience, but going after it’s closed for the evening is even more special. At the Akron Zoo, groups can have the entire zoo open after hours with all the animals on display, “so the entire zoo is open just for you,” said Elena Bell, marketing and group sales manager. Planners can also have the zoo’s train and carousel running on an hourly basis to give unlimited rides to attendees.
“Basically, you and your group are the only ones here at the zoo,” she said.
The Komodo Kingdom building is perfect for banquets or fundraisers, especially in the winter, Bell said. Inside, the cafe can seat 150 people for meals, and visitors can dine next to Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizard species, or see the rain forest exhibit that features a Galapagos tortoise. The zoo is adding a new exhibit in the building, slated to open June 3, called “Curious Creatures,” which will feature interesting animals with strange adaptations, such as flashlight fish and naked mole rats.
In the Lehner Family Zoo Gardens, guests won’t find any animals, but they will find landscaped gardens and fountains. The space can accommodate about 150 for receptions, or the indoor building can seat 50 for meals. For any event, groups can add an animal encounter to get up close to one of the zoo’s education animals, such as a bird, a snake or an armadillo.
Dayton Art Institute
Dayton
Sitting on a hill overlooking downtown Dayton and the Miami River, the Dayton Art Institute is a landmark. The building, completed in 1930, was modeled after a 16th-century Italian villa and is a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum has plenty of event spaces during the day, but after it closes to the public for the evening, groups have their pick of spaces and can mingle among artwork in galleries.
The museum’s art and exhibits can be just as much a part of a gathering as the event itself. Attendees can look around and go through the galleries, which can stay open for the first couple hours or during the entire event, said Beth DeVilbiss, museum events associate. The museum can also provide docent-led tours or just have docents available in the galleries to answer guests’ questions.
The Shaw Gothic Cloister is one of the museum’s main event spaces for after-hours events. The hexagonal room features columns that rise to a cathedral ceiling, at the center of which is a glass skylight. The space can seat up to 250 guests for meals or host up to 575 for receptions. Hale Cloister is an outdoor grass courtyard with a fountain that can accommodate about 250 people for a cocktail reception. The Great Hall, which connects to the galleries, can seat 100 for banquets; receptions with up to 250 guests can book the General Motors Entrance Rotunda; and presentations often use the 478-seat auditorium.
The Met
Lima
The 1880 Metropolitan Block building is an icon in downtown Lima. The impressive brick building features massive windows, a gabled roofline and a turret that climbs all five of the building’s stories. It’s also home to The Met, a restaurant and bar that recently reopened after wrapping up a two-month renovation project. Crews expanded the dining room to add 70 seats and expanded the kitchen to serve the larger dining area and to offer more menu items.
The restaurant has two options for group gatherings and private dining; both play up the historic character of the building. The BackRoom has a 19th-century warehouse vibe with exposed brick and industrial-style lighting and is the site of the first elevator in Lima. The space, which can seat 49 people for dinner, is separate from the bar and completely private for groups.
Located next to the main dining area, The Lounge fronts the street and the restaurant’s outdoor dining area. The Lounge was originally part of the Met Bank in the 1880s and still features the original tin ceilings. The Lounge can seat 20 for meals or 40 for cocktail receptions, can be made private or semiprivate, or can be left open for events.
