SCRANTON, Pa. — Why drink wine from the comfort of your couch this winter when you can do it under the waves?
The Electric City Aquarium and Reptile Den, inside the Marketplace at Steamtown, is giving folks an escape from the cold with its annual Wine Under the Waves.
"This event we've actually been doing since 2019. We do at least one a year," said Christina Rogato, the director of operations. "Not only are you going to find different animals here inside the aquarium, but we basically take over the front part of the marketplace, and we have tons of vendors this year. We have 25 vendors that are going to be coming out."
There's a bit of something for everyone.
"There are wineries, there are cideries, there's beer, there's different organizations that are coming. We also have some food vendors."
Local band Nowhere Slow will provide live music.
The purpose of this event is to offer some fun for the 21-and-over crowd and also raise awareness about wildlife conservation. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to the Coral Restoration Foundation, a nonprofit focused on restoring coral reefs.
The aquarium in Scranton grows all types of coral in-house and donates them to other facilities across the country. You can see a collage of coral in the tanks, along with photogenic fish.
Out of the water, you'll be greeted by a spirited toucan named Elvis.
"We usually see tons of families and kids running around here, which is great because seeing kids and seeing their reaction to the animals is amazing, but at the same time, too, we've seen those reactions from adults," Rogato said. "This event in the wintertime is our most well-attended event, I think, because there's not much going on around the area in northeastern Pennsylvania, and it's inside, which is nice, and there's covered parking down below."
Wine under the Waves is Saturday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. inside the Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton.
Tickets are $50 at the door.