News Release

May 31, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Brookfield Zoo to Host “REAL FAN DAYS”
A Celebration of Chicago Sports Teams,
Offering Fans a Summer of REAL Encounters


Brookfield, Ill. — The Chicago Zoological Society’s (CZS) Brookfield Zoo presents “REAL FAN DAYS” a unique series of sports festival events this summer. This seven-weekend series will allow fans of Chicago professional sports teams to meet players and mascots, test their skill at sports games, and enjoy themed entertainment. Plus, guests can discover the REAL connection their favorite teams share with iconic animals at Brookfield Zoo and within the Great Bear Wilderness exhibit (bears, bulls, bison, wolves, and hawks) through programming and activities. All REAL fans who wear the featured team’s apparel on the designated weekend will receive a 20 percent discount off zoo admission.

REAL FAN DAYS kicks off on Friday, July 8, at 11:30 a.m. on the zoo’s West Mall with festivities and a tournament featuring mascots from the Bulls, Bears, Cubs, Fire, White Sox, Blackhawks, and Wolves and members of Brookfield Zoo’s own mascot team

The seven-weekend schedule for REAL FAN DAYS is:
- Chicago Bulls on Saturday, July 9, and Sunday, July 10
- Chicago Bears on Saturday, July 16, and Sunday, July 17
- Chicago Cubs on Saturday, July 23, and Sunday, July 24
- Chicago Fire on Saturday, July 30, and Sunday, July 31
- Chicago White Sox on Saturday, August 13, and Sunday, August 14
- Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, August 27, and Sunday, August 28
- Chicago Wolves on Saturday, September 3, and Sunday, September 4

During each REAL FAN DAYS weekend, the West Mall will be transformed into a sports festival reflecting the featured team’s sport and will feature player and mascot appearances, as well as additional activities, including:

- Inflatable sports centers and skill games that will allow visitors to test their own athletic prowess.

- A broadcast karaoke booth where fans can test their broadcasting abilities by trying their hand announcing memorable team moments. For example, Chicago Bulls fans will be able to announce the starting lineup, Chicago Cubs fans will be able to lead singing during the seventh inning stretch, and Bears fans will be able to do play-by-play commentary for historic games.

- A scavenger hunt will educate children about the team’s players and zoo animals and compare sport skills to iconic team animals within the zoo. Anyone who finishes the hunt can enter into a drawing for tickets to a game.

- Zoo Chats will also allow guests to learn about the animal that corresponds with that weekend’s featured team.

- A memorabilia museum will tell the history of the featured team and its fans.

- Customized activities will be tailored to team fans. For example, Chicago Cubs fans and their children will be able to make miniature “W” flags with staff from Hamill Family Play Zoo.

Great Bear Wilderness, sponsored by Dominick’s, is a 7.5-acre exhibit that opened in May of 2010 and is home to the iconic North American animals most commonly associated with Chicago sports teams: grizzly BEARS, bison BULLS, and Mexican gray WOLVES.

Admission to Brookfield Zoo is $13.50 for adults and $9.50 for children three to 11 and seniors 65 and over. Children 2 and under are free. Parking is $9.

The Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, inspires conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. Open every day of the year, Brookfield 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 more information, go to www.CZS.org.

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