‘Tiger Queen’ Carole Baskin will speak at the annual celebration of Turpentine Creek in Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas – Next month, in Eureka Springs, at the celebration of the 31st anniversary of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, controversial big cat rescuer and animal rights activist Carole Baskin will give a speech.

Baskin and her husband Howard will be the featured performers at the exotic cat rescue’s “Feast with the Beasts” event on April 29. Baskin gained notoriety in Netflix’s “Tiger King” in 2020.

“We have hosted other events here at Turpentine Creek,” said Tanya Smith, TCWR’s president and founding member. “But this will be the first time we’ve done anything like this near the animals.”

At the Discovery Area among the big cats, participants in the event will enjoy happy hour with drinks, small bites, and live music, according to a news release. Following dinner, the rescue announced that guests will have a special tram tour of the refuge.

“People always ask about feeding time which is done in the morning before we open to the public out of respect to the animals,” Smith said. “We thought it would be a lot of fun to reverse roles and feed the people.”

The Baskins, rescue personnel, volunteers, and supporters will be commemorating more than just the nonprofit organization’s anniversary when they come together for “Feasts with the Beasts” next month. They will also be commemorating the Big Cat Public Safety Act, which was passed in December.

“We want to come and join Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in celebrating their anniversary and passage of this important legislation,” said Carole, founder of the Florida’s Big Cat Rescue.

The bill updates regulations governing the trade of big cats, and President Joseph Biden signed it into federal law. A summary of the bill says it “revises restrictions on the possession and exhibition of big cats, including to restrict direct contact between the public and big cats.”

You can now purchase tickets for the event, which includes both a silent and a live auction, for $175. Also, according to The Refuge, visitors will watch never-before-seen footage of their different rescue operations.