Photos by Cheryl Landes

Update, July 12, 2021

More new dates and locations have been added:

• Washington Square Mall, 9585 SW Washington Square Road in Portland, Friday-Sunday, July 16-18 and Thursday-Sunday, July 22-25. Hours are 2-8 p.m. Thursday-Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
• Curry County Events Center, 1900 East Brady Avenue in Clovis, New Mexico, Friday-Sunday, July 16-18. Hours are 2-8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
• McGee Park, 41 Road 5568 in Farmington, New Mexico. Friday-Sunday, July 23-25. Hours are 2-8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
• Columbia County Fairgrounds, 58892 Saulser Road in St. Helens, Oregon, Thursday-Sunday, July 29-August 1. Hours are 2-8 p.m. Thursday-Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
• The Outlet Collection Mall, 1101 Outlet Collection Way SW in Auburn, Washington, Thursday-Sunday, August 5-8 and August 12-15. Hours are 2-8 p.m. Thursday-Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

---

The Jurassic Empire Drive-Thru finished its run in Portland and Canby, Oregon and is now moving to a few locations in California. The drive-through event features more than 60 life-size dinosaurs that move, walk, and breathe.

The latest locations and dates are:

• Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, 2357 Fair Street in Chico, CA, Thursday-Sunday, April 22-25. Hours are 2-8 p.m. Thursday-Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
• Shasta District Fairgrounds, 1890 Brigge Street in Anderson, CA, Thursday-Sunday, April 29-May 2. Hours are noon-8 p.m. Thursday-Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
• Merced County Fairgrounds, 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Merced, CA, Friday-Sunday, May 7-9. Hours are 2-8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

We drove through the event in Canby, Oregon, on Sunday, April 18. The event is designed for kids, but adults who are big kids at heart enjoyed it as well. (My mother and I were among them.) The dinosaurs are life-size and are displayed on the passenger side of the route so that the kids can get a good look at all of the creatures. The exhibit includes adult dinosaurs and babies, such a T-Rex and triceratops hatching from their eggs, along with two Sabertooth tigers.

The drive-through ends with a three-member Dino Band playing Reggae music.

Tickets are timed in two-hour increments and sold online only. Arrive any time within the two-hour time slot you reserve to drive through the exhibit, which takes from 20 minutes to an hour depending on how long you spend at each location.

Tickets prices vary depending on the day and size of vehicle. Here’s the breakdown for all locations:

• Thursday and Friday, $59 per vehicle with up to seven passengers and $85 for vehicles with 8-14 passengers
• Saturday and Sunday, $69 per vehicle with up to seven passengers and $95 for vehicles with 8-14 passengers

COVID safety measures are in place during this event.

Get more information, buy tickets, and watch for new locations at jurassicempire.com.

———————————————————–

Note to event organizers who want to bring the Jurassic Empire Drive-Thru to your location:

An organization contacted me recently to ask if they could bring this event to their venue. The contact said my email address was listed on a flyer as the main contact for the event.

I have no affiliation with this event. The contact information for the organization hosting the Jurassic Empire Drive-Thru is on the home page of their website, jurassicempire.com. Please contact them directly. Thank you!