Grownups Unleash Their Inner Child at Cade After Dark 21+

GAINESVILLE — Close your work emails, set aside your textbooks, hire a sitter—the Cade Museum’s Cade After Dark 21+ is a night just for grownups who need a break from adulting.  

The after-hours event premieres Oct. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m., and recurs the third Friday of the month (Nov. 19, Dec. 17) for the remainder of 2021. 

At Cade After Dark, adults can channel their inner child and have at the museum, getting their hands sticky with gooey slime and testing their strength and endurance in the museum’s Sweat Solution exhibit while learning about Dr. Bob Cade, the lead inventor of Gatorade -- a Renaissance man who never outgrew his joy of discovery.  

In Toys & Games, the Cade’s fall theme, big kids can revel in the nostalgia of board games, playthings and Gen X-era video games. Explore inventions related to play from PlayDoh to Lincoln Logs to Nintendo, play an intense game of Jenga, experiment like a mad scientist, and learn fun facts like why Pacman was revolutionary and that Pokémon was inspired by bug catching. 

Activities will occupy each space of the museum during Cade After Dark. At the cash bar, guests can redeem one free drink ticket with the price of admission ($10 per person) and additional drinks will be available for purchase. Educational, humorous tours and electrifying demonstrations add to the fun. Guests can nosh on appetizers and work off the extra carbs by climbing a “mountain” to arrive at the Petty Family Gallery. Once there, visitors can relive old days of Nintendo marathons by learning the stories behind popular video games like Legend of Zelda. 

Local sponsors include nearby First Magnitude and Goldie’s in Depot Park. First Magnitude beer will be served at the cash bar and Goldie’s will provide coupons to visitors with reserved tickets to get dinner before the event.  

Says Cade Museum President & Executive Director Stephanie Bailes, “Our hope with Cade After Dark is that we can regain some of that childlike sense of wonder and discovery we lose in our everyday routines. We are never too old to have our minds blown by an explosive science experiment or see what we think of as cut-and-dried concepts from a new perspective—how much do you weigh in chickens? How tall are you in pennies? You’ll find out at Cade After Dark.”  

Cade After Dark 21+ takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15, Nov. 19, and Dec. 17 (third Fridays of the month for the remainder of 2021). Adults 21 and older only will be admitted. Admission is $10 per person and includes a drink ticket. Learn more at cademuseum.org. Registration links below: 

Oct. 15:  https://bit.ly/Oct15AfterDark,  

Nov. 19: https://bit.ly/Nov19AfterDark  

Dec. 17: https://bit.ly/Dec17AfterDark  

About the Cade Museum 

The Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention, a museum in Gainesville, Florida is committed to transforming communities by inspiring and equipping future inventors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. Since opening in 2018, more than 100,000 visitors have experienced the Cade’s unique hands-on programming for children designed to spark imagination and inspire creativity. The Cade’s programs also help to build bridges to the innovation economy for those without access, low-income families, underserved communities, and those needing assistance to access education and start on the career paths available to them to fulfill their dreams. To learn more about the Cade Museum’s mission, visit cademuseum.org. Located at 811 S Main Street, Gainesville, Florida. Hours of operation: Thursday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 10 a.m - 5 p.m. 

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