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Animal Magic
(10)
-
Belleville, MI -
Animal Entertainment
-
1 Verified Booking
Nathan S. said “A lot of fun and great with the kids and adults have fun too”
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Mark's Ark
- Auburn, IN
- Animal Entertainment
- Travels up to 200 miles
- $150.00-$2,000.00
Overview
Mark's Ark, where the animals come to YOU!
Very fun, interactive exotic animal shows for any family oriented event.
With more than 20 years of professional experience with exotic animals, Mark Kohlhorst, of Mark's Ark, presents the most interactive experience with animals you will ever have. Mark's Ark is available all year round for birthday parties, schools, library programming, fairs and festivals, VBS programs, daycares, nursuries, retirement and nursing homes, scout groups, corporate events, wedding receptions, and company picnics just to name a few.
You will feel secure in the fact that Mark's Ark is USDA licensed and is insured.
Mark's Ark...The animals can't wait to see YOU!
26 Reviews
Christy •
September 11, 2024
Mark did a fantastic job with the presentation! He is knowledgeable of the animals and did a great job explaining to everyone how to handle the animals before letting people hold them.
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Christy •
September 10, 2024
Mark was the hit of the party! I would recommend him 100 times over. He was very informative about the animals and very interactive with the kids. We loved it and would definitely recommend to anyone looking to have animals at their event.
Thanks!
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment, Petting Zoo
Animal Entertainment, Petting Zoo
Priscilla W. •
July 2, 2024
Mark visited our nursing home facility recently and did an amazing job! He was very polite and engaging with our residents. He also offered lots of education about each one of his animals in his show. Our residents loved him and are STILL talking about him! Our facility was very impressed and grateful for his services. We are already looking forward to booking with him in the near future. Look no further! Mark is your guy for all your animal entertainment needs!
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Patrick V. •
March 11, 2024
Mark and his friends were amazing. The children really enjoyed the experience. Strongly recommended.
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Teresa M. •
August 28, 2023
Mark did a great job! He connected with the kids and made our birthday granddaughter feel special.
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Tina G. •
October 4, 2022
Kids really enjoyed the show
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Photos from this event
Michael •
September 18, 2022
Mark’ s Arc was fantastic for our People of Praise 50th Anniversary celebration . We had over 75 kids ages 1-14 and they all loved the wide area of animals to hold and interact with. Mark is a wonderful handler and instructor!
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Photos from this event
Bryce W. •
July 12, 2022
Mark brought a variety of animals and allowed our kids to interact with them at their comfort level.
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Response from Mark's Ark:
Thank you Bryce. I had a great time sharing my animals with your kids. What a nice visit.
Helen J. •
May 31, 2022
Mark brought along a selection of animals for my daughter’s 6th birthday party. He was very engaging with the kids and they all had a great time. The party girl was given special attention which she loved and made for a wonderful birthday party. Thank you mark!
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Payton F. •
March 1, 2022
Mark was absolutely wonderful. We had 16 kids and he was very patient with all of them. He made the birthday boy feel extra special with how much he got to do. The kids were able to interact with every animal that they wanted to.
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Photos from this event
Lindsay K. •
December 5, 2021
Mark was on time, very friendly, and very knowledgeable!!! His animals were super sweet, and well cared for. This birthday party for my 13 yo son was unforgettable. A great experience. Worth every penny.
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Photos from this event
Noel L. •
October 17, 2021
We had an incredible turnout for Mark's petting zoo! Marks relaxed demeanor and animal knowledge really make it easy to have such an event. To his credit - traffic ended up having him arrive late. But Mark and his son were so quick, they had the entire petting zoo set up in minutes. He even pushed back the closing time in order to allow some of our staff members to pet animals as well!
Great service and amazing personality -Thanks Mark! It was a pleasure meeting you and your son!
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Photos from this event
Brooke J. •
July 19, 2021
After canceling last minute twice in one week I sent Mark a short email letting him know that I was disappointed that he let the students down. Instead of apologizing he told me to f** off, and even said I could use his quote in my review. The second cancellation was because of a family emergency, and I said I understood that these events happen. However- twice in one week is unprofessional and his response was very inappropriate.
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Teya T. •
June 15, 2021
Mark was kind and very interactive with children and families. I would recommend him to classrooms, libraries, birthday parties, and family events!
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Brettnee A. •
May 24, 2021
Mark was extravagant! He really took his time with each kid and let them bet and informed them about each animal. We had an amazing time!!! Absolutely the best!
Hired as:
Petting Zoo, Animal Entertainment
Petting Zoo, Animal Entertainment
David S. •
August 9, 2020
Our guests really enjoyed having Mark at our party. He brought fun and interesting animals; he let guests feed and hold the animals; and he provided lots of information about each animal. Highly recommended!
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Daniele W. •
July 8, 2019
The instructors were very friendly and easy to speak with. They answered every question with an informative answer. The animals were beautiful and very patient with the kids. Needless to say, we all loved Mark's Ark!
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Candice L. •
July 30, 2017
I would highly recommend Mark's Ark. My son chose 8 awesome animals who all turned out to be tame and well behaved. Mark provided direction and shared his knowledge with the children in a way they could understand, without talking down to them. My son got to be the 'helper', which allowed him tons of hands on experience with all of the animals. Every child, if interested, was able to hold and/or pet the animals and we didn't feel rushed at all. It was a party we'll never forget and worth every penny!
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Response from Mark's Ark:
Thank you very much Candice! I really appreciate the kind words. It was a pleasure to be a part of your son's party!
Mark, Mark's Ark
Photos from this event
John A. •
April 17, 2017
Mark did a great job at our church's Easter morning children's event. He was flexible and engaging and the animals were great. He took time to make sure that most kids got a chance to touch or pet the animals. Mark was engaging and informative throughout the show. That was no small task as we had 200+ children attend that morning. Mark's Ark is high quality and affordable. I would not hesitate to bring him back
Hired as:
Petting Zoo, Animal Entertainment
Petting Zoo, Animal Entertainment
Photos from this event
Joni S. •
March 30, 2017
Mark and his animals were wonderful! He was very informative and his love for his animal companions showed through his performance. He took time to explain and answer all questions and made sure each person that wanted to touch or hold the animals got the chance. I can't say how much I was impressed and I would highly recommend Mark for any event. He came in as a person I hired to be there and left a friend. It will be a birthday to be talked about for years to come. I would not hesitate to book him again!
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Photos from this event
Kelly W. •
January 23, 2017
Mark was great with my four year old! We had him bring his animals to our birthday party and the animals were all intereactive and friendly! Adults and kids both enjoyed the show! Thanks mark!!
Hired as:
Petting Zoo
Petting Zoo
Response from Mark's Ark:
Thank you very much Kelly! Joey was such a great helper.
Mark, Mark's Ark
Photos from this event
Chad B. •
December 19, 2016
Mark was great. He had a good variety of animals to choose from and was very knowledgeable of them all. He made sure anyone that wanted to hold the animals got a chance to do so. He made sure our daughter the Birthday girl got to pass the animals to everyone to hold (which she loved). Mark was great on accommodating our Suprise Bunny birthday gift into his show as the last animal and then made sure to tell my daughter it was a gift from her mom and I. Our daughter says it was the best birthday ever! Thank you Mark!
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Nina L. •
April 25, 2016
We had Mark come out and do a show for my son's 10th birthday party. It was great! The kids all enjoyed holding and touching the animals. (3 years to 12 yrs old) My son's favorite was the bearded dragon, mine was the alligator. All of the animals were very calm and did great with the kids. Mark was very knowledgeable about all the animals. The animals were healthy and well fed. The animals seemed to enjoy being held as much as the kids enjoyed holding them. My son asked if Mark could come back & do another show sometime with different animals :) to which I answered, "absolutely". Thanks Mark for making my son's birthday great :)
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment
Animal Entertainment
Shana B. •
April 12, 2015
Mark was professional, courteous, and knowledgable. He showed up right on time, started the show within minutes, and gave us an unforgettable experience. He was funny, interesting, and clearly loves his animals. The kids and adults all loved holding and petting the animals. The baby hedgehog, tree frogs and alligator were all favorites.
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment, Children’s Party Entertainment, Educational Entertainment, Interactive Performer, Petting Zoo, Reptile Show
Animal Entertainment, Children’s Party Entertainment, Educational Entertainment, Interactive Performer, Petting Zoo, Reptile Show
Connor S. •
May 17, 2013
He has been hired back to our local fairs year after year! He is great with kids and has a lot of cool animals!
Hired as:
Animal Entertainment, Animal Entertainment, Educational Entertainment, Interactive Performer, Reptile Show
Animal Entertainment, Animal Entertainment, Educational Entertainment, Interactive Performer, Reptile Show
Booking Info
Price Range: $150.00-$2,000.00
Gig Length: 30 - 60 minutes
Languages: English
Insurance: $2,000,000.00 - Liability
What to Expect
Hands on animals of all kinds. Up close and personal.
You are encouraged to pet and hold all manner of animals.
About
Ruffle some feathers,
Scratch some scales.
Pet a tortoise!
Wag some tails!
I'm Mark Kohlhorst, owner and presenter for Mark's Ark. Mark's Ark has been in business for 6 years and I have been working with animals for more than 20 years professionally. I went to school at The Ohio State University for biology, and worked as a zookeeper at the Ft. Wayne Children's Zoo,(just recently rated one of the top 10 zoos in the nation), for 10 years working with all kinds of animals from around the globe.
I am a certified diver, and have been an animal trainer for California Sea Lions, Siamangs, red pandas, and gibbons.
I have appeared in many newspaper articles, have been on local NE Indiana TV programs, and have been a guest on several local radio programs.
Mark's Ark is a full-time, all year round business that caters to any kind of family event.
I posses over 40 kinds of animals. Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and bugs are all in my collection and for you to select from. All of my animals are pets, and are treated with extreme respect and value. They are always handled properly and are never used as props or exploited for fun at any time in my presentations. That's what I'm there for...Comic relief!
When you choose Mark's Ark you will find that all of my animals are all very people friendly and very safe. You may pet and hold everything I have, and for your event, YOU may select the individual animals you would like. No two Mark's Ark events are ever alike. You can personalize yours!
My presentations are delivered in a relaxed manner, passing the animals around as I talk about their individual interesting facts. I do this through light humor and wit. I am very good at catering to the very young and keeping their attentions as well as delivering to college age to senior patrons and everybody in-between. For public appearances I do like to select volunteers from the audience to help share the animals to the rest of the audience as well as do some fun stage performing.
I offer two general ways of presenting my animals.
The formal presentation. A time is set for me to begin and end, and I show up to eight animals to the audience in that time frame.
Meat and Greet. I am given a location to set up and patrons come to me at their leisure, in a set time frame, to see the animals I have with me. It's more like a true petting zoo, but I am there to facilitate petting and handling of the animals.
I am a USDA class C animal exhibitor, and do carry liability insurance. Credentials will be provided upon request. I will gladly provide references as well.
I can travel to any location for your event. I can also present inside or outside, weather permitting and according to my guidelines.
I do offer other services with my animals for different occasions as well. I have doves for weddings, funerals, and memorial events, kissing pigs, and singing animalgrams too, (I do the singing, you pick the animal).
Mark's Ark is fun for the whole family. You will not be disappointed.
The Animals Can't Wait to See YOU!
Additional Booking Notes
Please try and book 2 months in advance, especially weekend dates,(Fri, Sat, Sun). I will try and accomodate your schedule to the best of my ability, but 2 months is best. May, June, July, August, and October are my busiest months of business.
For booking a date, I will send you by e-mail or regular mail my Host Checklist. You must fill it out and get it back to me at least 2 weeks before a presentation with your deposit included.
A non-refundable deposit of $50.00 is required for any booking. Checks and money orders are the accepted method of payment.
A signed Mark's Ark contract is required for presentations of more than 1 hour in duration.
I can provide copies of insurance and License upon request or if required.
I can do both indoor or outdoor presentations, as long as the weather and temperature are appropriate for the animals. Outdoor presentations are done when teperatures are 65F and sunny or warmer and less than 85F. Otherwise indoor presentations are a must.
Public presentations like fairs and festivals must provide adequate shelter, determined by Mark Kohlhorst, and are outlined in the Mark's Ark Festival and Fair contract.
Any location for a Mark's Ark presentation that require the use of stairs must provide elevator service or else an animal presentation must be presented on ground level. This applies to basements and upstairs rooms in homes. No exceptions. Mark's Ark brings animals in sometimes large and bulky animal carry cages and will not risk personal injury or stucture damage to the hiring clients' homes.
It is the responsibility of the hiring client to practice their own crowd control not the entertainer. Loud noise is one important example to be avoided.
Services Offered
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