News Release

August 8, 2012

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



Note: Images of animals at Brookfield Zoo may be downloaded at www.CZS.org/pressroom.

Free Kids’ Days at Brookfield Zoo
Meijer Sponsors Free Days on August 13, 14, and 15

      Brookfield, IL—Before school starts up, head to Brookfield Zoo and get FREE admission for children ages 11 and under on August 13, 14, and 15. Free Kids’ Days, presented by Meijer, gives families an opportunity to enjoy one last staycation before the hustle and bustle of another school year begins. (Admission for adults and parking fees still apply.)

Enjoy interactive games, healthy eating tips, and more at the Meijer Mobile Virtual Playground. Meijer dieticians will also be on-site to share tips on nutritious school lunch planning.

Free Kids’ Days also will feature Cultural Connections programming at 10:00 a.m. on the Nature Stage. Cultural Connections is presented by the Sara Lee Foundation and features music and stories with an international flair as well as animal and insect themes in celebration of the zoo’s Xtreme BUGS exhibit.

With the end of summer approaching, many of the zoo’s seasonal attractions will be closing soon. These include Xtreme BUGS. Although the outdoor animatronic portion of the exhibit will remain open through the end of October, the indoor section, Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World, presented by Terminix, will be closing September 7. So for those who haven’t seen the popular cockroach races time is running out.

Additionally, the zoo’s Butterflies! and Stingray Bay exhibits will also be closing at the end of the summer. Before these winged wonders flutter away, guests can enjoy seeing hundreds of them in a beautifully landscaped setting, as well as discover ways to create their own butterfly garden at home. And, the more than 50 cownose rays that can be seen in a 16,000-gallon pool will soon be heading south for the winter. Before they swim away, zoogoers can experience these amazing creatures up close.

And, although the summer games will soon come to and end, the zoo’s special dolphin presentation highlighting them will continue for a few more months. The themed show features a special torch lighting ceremony and the zoo’s bottlenose dolphins competing in a variety of audience-judged events, including air spins, tail walking, creative hunting techniques, and breaches.

On Free Kids’ Days, Brookfield Zoo is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission for adults is $15 and $10.50 for seniors 65 and over. Parking is $10. For further information, visit www.CZS.org. In addition to the free days presented by Meijer, the Chicago Zoological Society offers more than 55 free days to guests of all ages from October through February.

The Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, inspires 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 Preserve District of Cook County. 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 www.CZS.org.

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