Adventure Aquarium in Camden is clearing out the kids for one night this fall, opening its doors to an adults-only harvest celebration built around its most famous residents: Nile hippos Genny and Button. The event, called Harvest with the Hippos, runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, and is restricted to guests ages 21 and older.
The evening unfolds during Fintastic Pumpkin Glow, the aquarium's annual fall festival, which according to nj.com gives guests access to glowing gourds floating on and beneath the water's surface. Fintastic Pumpkin Glow itself runs from September 18 through November 1, according to New Jersey Monthly, framing the single adults-only night as part of a much longer seasonal run. Genny and Button will receive special fall treats throughout the evening as part of the Harvest with the Hippos programming, per the same nj.com report.
Single admission tickets to the event cost $44.99, while an Ultimate Date Night Package runs $125 and requires purchasing two tickets. That upgraded package includes after-hours access, one drink per guest, and a commemorative 6x8 photo print for each attendee. Exclusive themed drinks will also be available for purchase during the night, and the aquarium says the atmosphere will feature immersive lighting and curated music. All visitors, regardless of ticket type, must present valid identification for entry.
A Rare Draw in Nile Hippos
Adventure Aquarium's ability to build an entire evening around Genny and Button owes to their rarity: the facility is the only aquarium in the world to exhibit Nile hippopotamuses, according to VisitNJ.org. The two hippos each weigh over 3,000 pounds and live in the aquarium's Hippo Haven exhibit. They were transferred to the Camden facility in May 2005 from Disney's Animal Kingdom shortly before the venue reopened under the Adventure Aquarium name, according to the aquarium's own historical account. Button turned 29 in March 2026, while Genny turned 26 in July 2026, per that same history.
Adventure Aquarium has maintained continuous accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for more than 30 years, a status the aquarium notes requires strict adherence to guidelines on animal diets, health care, and habitat safety. That accreditation underpins special after-hours programming like Harvest with the Hippos, even as the event leans into a festive, date-night atmosphere.
From State Aquarium to Camden Waterfront Anchor
The facility at 1 Riverside Drive along the Camden waterfront wasn't always a private, adults-friendly attraction. It opened on February 29, 1992, as the state-built Thomas H. Kean New Jersey State Aquarium, according to Wikipedia, before a $55 million private renovation led to its re-emergence under the current Adventure Aquarium name in May 2005. Herschend Family Entertainment, which also operates attractions like Dollywood, has owned and operated the aquarium since 2007, as reported by SJ Mag Media.
The scale of the operation is considerable: the facility spans roughly 200,000 square feet and holds more than 2 million gallons of water and over 15,000 aquatic animals, drawing more than one million visitors annually, per SJ Mag's reporting. Among its signature attractions is the 81-foot Shark Bridge, described as the longest V-shaped suspension bridge in the world, which crosses directly over a 550,000-gallon tank holding the largest shark collection in the Northeast.
New for 2026's Pumpkin Glow
This year's Fintastic Pumpkin Glow season brings several new additions designed to draw repeat visitors, including a 10-by-8-foot light-wall photo backdrop, a three-piece jumbo candy corn display in the Rotunda, and a video showing a diver's point-of-view tour of the underwater pumpkin installations, according to dosage Magazine. Traditional elements like live underwater pumpkin carving and animal skeleton educational shows remain part of the broader festival.
Adventure Aquarium's kid-free evening also fits into a wider pattern among American zoos and aquariums. Adult-only, 21-and-over after-hours events featuring specialty cocktails and themed programming have become an increasingly common revenue and donor-engagement strategy for major institutions, including Georgia Aquarium and Newport Aquarium, according to AARP. For Camden, Harvest with the Hippos offers a way to give grown-up visitors a night with Genny and Button without the daytime crowds — and to keep the aquarium's glowing gourds shining well past bedtime for the under-21 set.
