Wildheart 50th Anniversary Celebration gives you a rare chance to stay on at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary as the afternoon slips into evening. The gates stay open for the birthday celebrations from 5pm to 8.30pm on Saturday 19 September, with animal talks, performers, music and food spread through the visit. It should feel quite different from a normal day at the sanctuary, especially once the light starts to fade over Sandown Bay.
The children can watch bubbleology from The Lovely Bubbly Show, have their faces painted with glitter and catch roaming performers from The New Carnival Company. Animal talks and feeds give you a good reason to move around the sanctuary rather than waiting in one spot. Ruby brings live acoustic music, Melodic Choir performs during the evening, and the barbecue and local food stalls take care of tea. There is a cocktail bar too. LumaNation finishes the night with a Wildheart-themed drone show, which is likely to be the bit everyone talks about on the way home.
Adult tickets cost £16.50, children's tickets are £13.50 and under-threes go free. Book before you travel so you are not crossing the Island only to find the evening full. Most of the fun takes place outdoors, so check the forecast and bring a warm layer for the drone show. You will be close to the sea after sunset, and September evenings can cool down fast. If the date does not work, the Isle of Wight family events calendar has more days out with activities for children. If it does, arrive with enough time to see the animals before the evening entertainment gets going.