Animal Attraction brings Edmonton singles to the zoo
By Vickie Laliotis
EDMONTON — Eight Minute Date, in conjunction with the Edmonton Valley Zoo, is hosting its annual Animal Attraction speed-dating event on Feb. 10 and 11.
Edmonton singles hope to find love this Valentine's Day through Animal Attraction, a speed dating event taking place at the Edmonton Valley Zoo on Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11. Photograph by Vickie Laliotis.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this popular event is gearing up to bring singles together while educating them about the animal kingdom.
“Guests will get to hear about different mating rituals of the animals and how they attract mates,” said Edmonton Valley Zoo special events co-ordinator Jasmine Hestad, citing brightly coloured body parts and the use of urine to entice the opposite sex.
“People quickly realize that the animals are not so different than they are, because at the end of the day, everyone is just looking for that special connection,” said Eight Minute Date co-owner Cindy Dicurzio.
Now in its fifth year, the event has been a huge success for the dating service, which reports several long-term relationships to have come out of Animal Attraction.
“We receive phone calls and emails from couples on a monthly basis thanking us for the success of their relationships, and many of those people met at the zoo,” Dicurzio said.
“I don’t know if it’s the venue or what, but many lasting matches come out of the event.”
Singles between the ages of 25 and 65 are grouped into corresponding age categories, and are given the opportunity to meet over eight-minute intervals. At the end of each date, they mark down who they liked, and if their affections are reciprocated, a match is made.
“Most people know within the first minute if they’re attracted to each other or not, and that’s the beauty of speed dating,” Dicurzio said. “You get to meet a diverse group of singles in a short period of time.”
By hosting the dates among the animal enclosures, guests get the benefit of a built-in conversation starter, Hestad said.
“Not only are you in a safe, alcohol-free environment, but you get to see the zoo at night, which is usually limited to the public,” she said. “Guests get to see how the animals interact after dark, which can be a real ice breaker.”
Animal Attraction will take place at the Edmonton Valley Zoo, located at 13315 Buena Vista Road, on Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11 from 7 to 10 p.m.
Tickets are $40 and are available by phone at 780-457-8535. Visit www.eightminutedate.ca for more information.
