As 100 life-size elephant sculptures take over Boston’s Commonwealth Avenue Mall through September 13, three of Back Bay’s best-known hospitality destinations are joining The Great Elephant Migration with limited-time cocktails and mocktails inspired by the installation and its conservation mission.
The Great Elephant Migration is the fundraising adventure of one hundred life-size Indian elephants migrating across the US to amplify Indigenous knowledge and inspire the human race to share space. As they travel, they tell the story of Asia’s wild elephants and the Indigenous communities living alongside them, where people and elephants coexist in the densest populations in the world. A collaboration between Indigenous artisans, contemporary artists and cultural institutions, it is raising millions of dollars to power human-wildlife coexistence projects through partnerships with over 20 conservation NGOs in the USA and around the world.
The free public art installation stretches nearly a mile from Dartmouth to Fairfield Streets, bringing a herd of handcrafted Indian elephant sculptures to the heart of Back Bay. More than a striking addition to the neighborhood, the migration is designed to spark conversation around human-wildlife coexistence and raise support for conservation efforts around the world.
Just steps from the herd, The Newbury Boston, The ’Quin House, andThe Lenox Hotel have each created specialty drinks inspired by the migration—turning a stroll through the installation into a limited-time Back Bay cocktail and mocktail trail. Each property is also hosting an elephant calf sculpture, giving visitors another reason to stop along the way.
The exhibition’s lead sponsor, The ‘Quin House, is serving up the Journey to Kerala mocktail, which offers a vibrant nod to the installation’s Indian roots, combining coconut water, curry leaves, ginger, lime, mango, and club soda, finished with curry leaves and a dehydrated lime wheel.
The Newbury Boston features both mocktail and cocktail options to toast to The Great Elephant Migration. Enjoy the zero-proof Nilgiri Lemonade, made with Elephant Trail Spice Syrup, fresh lemon, and soda water. For a refreshing gin-based option, try Herd & Scene, featuring Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru Murcian Lemon Gin, Elephant Trail Spice Syrup, fresh lemon, and soda water. It is a polished stop for a post-stroll beverage following an afternoon among the herd.
As a presenting partner of the exhibition, The Lenox Hotel is serving two elephant-inspired cocktails, with a percentage of proceeds benefiting Elephant Family USA. The Pink Pachyderm is a bright, tropical tequila sour made with Lalo Tequila, Sarti Liqueur, Suze, orgeat, and lemon juice. The Elephant in the Room is a floral blend of Silent Pool Gin, Lalo Tequila, Lillet Blanc, strawberry syrup, and lemon.