News Release

Contact: Sondra Katzen, Public Relations, 708.688.8351, sondra.katzen@czs.org

August 10, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Note: Images of any of the events listed are available by calling the Chicago Zoological Society’s Public Relations Department at (708) 688-8351 or emailing sondra.katzen@czs.org.

Brookfield Zoo’s 2016 Calendar of Events (August Through December)

Festival of Flight

Now Through September 5

Brookfield Zoo’s popular interactive bird show, Festival of Flight, continues through Labor Day. Guests fly high with excitement while watching birds soar, swoop, and dive as they demonstrate their natural flight abilities. The Festival of Flight show is free with general zoo admission. For more information, call (708) 688-8000 or isit CZS.org/Events.

Hamill Family Play Zoo’s 15th Anniversary

Hamill Family Play Zoo is hosting activities from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the 15th of every month in 2016,. Guests can meet a zoo professional, participate in a scavenger hunt, learn something new about their favorite animals, get creative with an art activity, play a part in an animal training or husbandry session, and close out the day with a children’s parade. For more information, call (708) 688-8000 or isit CZS.org/Events.

ZooBrew
August 26 and 27 (Friday and Saturday)

Enjoy bears and beers, lions and lagers, anteaters and ales...all at Brookfield Zoo's fifth annual ZooBrew, sponsored by Blue Moon Brewing Company. ZooBrew is a one-of-a-kind, 21-and-over beer-tasting event featuring more than 80 beers. For more information or to buy tickets, call (708) 688-8000 or visit isit CZS.org/Events.

ZooRunRun for the Conservation Fund
September 11 (Sunday)

Lace up your running shoes for a 5K run/walk while helping endangered species and enjoy free zoo admission all in one day! The run, presented by Aquafina and Gatorade, is set entirely within Brookfield Zoo. Participants run or walk past lemurs, white pelicans, giraffes, and endangered black rhinos before reaching lions, tigers, and snow leopards at the finish line. All participants receive moisture-wicking T-shirts and timed bibs for their journey. For further information, including pricing, visit isit CZS.org/Events. or call (708) 688-8000.

Cat Awareness Weekend
October 1 and 2 (Saturday and Sunday)

Visit Brookfield Zoo for a purr-fect weekend and learn about the zoo’s cats, from big cats like African lions, Amur leopards, Amur tigers, and snow leopards to the small ones, including servals, fishing cats, and domestic house cats. There will be special Zoo Chats and cat-themed activities for cat lovers of all ages. For more information, call (708) 688-8000 or visit CZS.org/Events.

Boo! at the Zoo

October 22-23 and October 29-30 (Saturdays and Sundays)

Little ghosts and goblins of all ages are sure to have a ghoulishly good time during Brookfield Zoo’s annual Halloween celebration, presented by Ferrara Candy Company. The not-so-scary and fun-filled event has something for the entire family to enjoy, including a “Craized Maize” corn maze, professional pumpkin carvers creating 1,000-pound jack-o’-lanterns, a haunted hayride, a costume parade and costume contest, special Zoo Chats, a chance to build a scarecrow, a haunted Carousel ride, and more. (Additional fees apply to some activities.) For more information, call (708) 688-8000 or isit CZS.org/Events.

Wines in the Wild
November 5 (Saturday)

Sample exquisite wines and liquor from around the world, accompanied by great food. The fundraiser, hosted by the Chicago Zoological Society’s Women’s Board, will be held from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. in Brookfield Zoo’s Discovery Center and will also feature a raffle and silent auction. The cost is $120 per person, which includes the tasting, zoo admission, parking, and a commemorative wine glass. Special VIP packages are also available and feature exclusive fine wines and up-close experiences with some of the zoo’s animal ambassadors from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. Choose from the $1,200 VIP Peacock Package for six tickets, the $500 VIP Macaw Package for two tickets, or the $275 VIP Parakeet Package for one ticket. For more information and to make reservations, call (708) 688-8393 or isit CZS.org/Events.

Community Tree Trim
November 19 and 20

Get your community organization or corporation in the holiday spirit and join in Brookfield Zoo’s annual Tree Trim. Participants sponsor a tree and decorate it with ornaments in preparation for the zoo’s Holiday Magic. The cost includes a select number of admission and parking tickets. Additional passes may be purchased at a discounted rate. Online registration begins September 1. For further information and to register, visit CZS.org/Events.

Breakfast with Santa
December 10-11 and 17-18 (Saturdays and Sundays)

Bring the family to Brookfield Zoo for its Breakfast with Santa, presented by Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. Kids can visit and pose for photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Seatings for the all-you-can-eat buffet are offered at 9:00 or 11:00 a.m. The cost, which includes zoo admission and parking, tax, and gratuity, is $29.95 for adults and $21.95 for children ages 3-11. Children 2 and under eat for free. Reservations are required and seating is limited. For further information and to make reservations, visit CZS.org/Events or call (708) 688-8355.

Brunch with Santa
December 11 and 18 (Sundays)

Bring the family, and your appetites, to Brookfield Zoo for its annual Brunch with Santa, presented by Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. Seatings for the extravagant all-you-can-eat brunch are offered at 11:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to hear everyone’s wish list and pose for pictures. Also making an appearance will be some of the zoo’s costumed characters. Seating is limited and reservations are required. The cost, which includes admission and parking to the zoo, tax, and gratuity, is $39.95 for adults and $29.95 for children ages 3-11. Children 2 and under eat for free. For further information, including the menu, and to make reservations, visit CZS.org/Events or call (708) 688-8355.

Holiday Magic
December 3-4, December 10-11, and December 17-18 (Saturdays and Sundays) and December 26-31 (Monday through Saturday)

Celebrate the holiday season with family and friends during Brookfield Zoo’s 35th annual Holiday Magic, presented by ComEd and Meijer. At Chicagoland’s longest running lights festival, the zoo will be lit with more than one million twinkling LED lights as guests enjoy caroling to the animals, professional ice carving demonstrations, light shows, and special visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus (the latter through December 18). In addition, select animal habitats will remain open, as will zoo restaurants and gift shops. A full schedule of music and live entertainment, a magic show, costumed characters, a model railroad display, and more will add to the magical ambiance. For more information, visit CZS.org/Events or call (708) 688-8000.

Zoo Year’s Eve
December 31 (Saturday)

Rock in the New Year during Brookfield Zoo’s family-friendly Zoo Year’s Eve 2017 celebration. A live DJ sets the party tone in the Holly Jolly Theater, as do fun games, party favors, prizes, and an early countdown at 8:00 p.m. At Hamill Family Play Zoo, guests can make noisemakers and also enjoy an early kid-friendly countdown at 8:00 p.m.—especially great for guests with children ages 6 and under. The event is free with regular zoo admission. For more information, call (708) 688-8000 or visit CZS.org/Events.

Event dates and times are subject to change without notice.

Brookfield Zoo is open every day of the year from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Indoor animal exhibits close a half hour before the zoo closes, and Tropic World closes 45 minutes prior to the zoo closing.)

General zoo admission is $17.85 for adults and $12.50 for children 3-11 and seniors 65 and over. Children 2 and under are admitted free. Admission to the zoo is free on Tuesdays and Thursdays from October through December (with the exception of Holiday Magic).

Parking is $11 for cars and $15 for buses. (A Cook County parking tax is included.)

For more details on admission packages, pricing, or to pre-purchase tickets or memberships, go to CZS.org.

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About the Chicago Zoological Society

The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Its Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare is at the forefront of animal care that strives to discover and implement innovative approaches to zoo animal management. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. Open every day of the year, the zoo is located off First Avenue between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and is also accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, CTA, and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org.