Hauʻoli lā hānau – that’s Hawaiian for “Happy Birthday” – and it’s just the right phrase as Lucy the Elephant gets ready to celebrate her 144th birthday with a Hawaiian luau.
Any age over 100 is a milestone, and Lucy’s longevity is certainly worth celebrating. This year’s birthday party will take place with a twist. Due to the temporary relocation of Lucy’s Gift Shop across the street, the event will be held on Atlantic Avenue, between Decatur and Washington avenues, on Saturday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“Last week, we demolished our aging gift shop to make way for a new, state-of-the-art, ADA-compliant welcome center,” said Richard Helfant, executive director of Lucy the Elephant. “Until the new building opens — hopefully by mid-summer 2027 — we’ll be operating out of temporary facilities across the street. So, we decided to move the party to Atlantic Avenue.”
New attractions include a 27-foot double-lane water slide, a life-size snow globe featuring Lucy’s new “Ugly Holiday Sweater,” and Zap-a-Mole. Returning favorites include the orange crush castle bounce house, the Lucy Express trackless train ride, and a nine-hole mini golf course.
Food offerings will include local favorites such as Lenny’s Hot Dogs, Philly Pretzel Factory pretzels, funnel cake fries, Hawaiian sliders and sodas. New this year are frozen drinks.
At 3 p.m., Lucy’s team will introduce Steven Gottlieb, one of the original members of the Save Lucy Committee, formed in 1970 to prevent the elephant’s demolition. Gottlieb credits Lucy with inspiring his successful career in architecture. He will be introduced during the traditional birthday song and donut giveaway, courtesy of Margate Donuts.
This year’s commemorative T-shirt features Lucy wearing a Hawaiian grass skirt. Tours inside the World’s Largest Elephant will run all day, and Lucy’s annual pedicure will be on display — can you guess the color this year?
Lucy is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Labor Day. Guided tours are offered every 45 minutes, beginning at 10:15 a.m.
For more information, contact:
Richard Helfant
Executive Director/CEO
Phone: 609-823-6473, ext. 5
Email: info@lucytheelephant.org
Website: lucytheelephant.org
