Even panda rain ponchos couldn't keep Jazzoo co-chairs Chris Carter and Gene Rice dry as the Zoo Atlanta benefit began Saturday night.

Some of  Zoo Atlanta’s residents may have been on the look out for Noah and his favored mode of transportation as the 2^nd annual Jazzoo benefit for the zoo began Saturday night in Grant Park.

Guests arrived in rubber boots and umbrellas as 20 of Atlanta’s best restaurants prepared nibbles, the booze began flowing at the open bars sprinkled throughout the zoo and four stages of entertainment got underway.

Despite a wet start, by the time the rain subsided and cooler, more fall-like temps prevailed, more than 1500 supporters had turned out.

 And they were hungry.

JCT Kitchen's pimento cheese sliders were among the popular nibbles.

Even before the evening’s emcees “Good Day Atlanta” co-host Suchita Vadlamani and V-103’s Elle Duncan could introduce the massive lion cub-themed cake created by the Highland Bakery, attendees had devoured it without waiting for a knife.  A line, meanwhile, wrapped around the zoo as word spread that JCT Kitchen’s popular pimento cheese adorned sliders were being distributed.

Jazzoo patrons paid tribute to the zoo's new lion cubs with themed outfits. Umbrellas and rubber boots were also necessary accessories.

Vadlamani and Duncan were troupers throughout the evening, even when the ladies who both wore dresses to the soiree/monsoon were informed that  no stairs had been built to the stage. The women were hoisted up and over the stage speakers so they could perform their emceeing duties.

Party band Yacht Rock had an entire tent full of  fans gyrating as they kicked off their set with the Bee Gees’ famous (infamous?) disco hit, “More Than a Woman.”

A lion cub-themed cake created for Jazzoo by the Highland Bakery. Attendees devoured the cake even before knives were brought out to officially cut the cake up.