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Brookfield Zoo Chicago Celebrates 90th Year with Anniversary Ferris Wheel—Opens March 15 Brookfield, Ill. — Brookfield Zoo Chicago welcomed guests for the first time 90 years ago this year. In celebration, a towering 110-foot Anniversary Ferris Wheel will offer guests unique bird’s-eye views of the park’s gardens, animal habitats, and Chicago skyline beginning March 15 and continuing through Dec. 31, 2024. The massive 125-ton Ferris wheel, located just east of the Zoo’s newly landscaped Roosevelt Fountain, features 24 gondolas that seat up to six people each. During evening hours and events, it will illuminate brightly with 350,000 multicolored LED lights. A ride on the attraction is between 7 and 8 minutes long. Riders need to be at least 3 feet tall with a supervised adult or 3½ feet tall with no supervision. The cost is $8 per person (Zoo members pay 6). The attraction was manufactured in the Netherlands by Lamberink B.V. and was installed by the Kissel Entertainment Company of Okeana, Ohio. The original Ferris wheel, and engineering marvel for its time, was designed by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., and was unveiled as the popular centerpiece during the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago’s World Fair. It measured 264 feet high, rotated on a 71-ton, 45½-foot axle, and featured 36 gondolas, with a total capacity of 2,160. PLAN YOUR VISIT

BROOKFIELD ZOO | 110-foot Anniversary Ferris Wheel will Offer a Unique Bird’s-Eye Views of the Park

Brookfield Zoo Chicago Celebrates 90th Year with Anniversary Ferris Wheel—Opens March 15

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Holiday Magic® at Brookfield Zoo Returns for its 41st Dazzling Year BROOKFIELD—Light up the festive season with family and friends at Brookfield Zoo’s 41st annual Holiday Magic®, presented by ComEd and Meijer. Chicagoland’s longest-running lights festival returns November 25-27 and 30, and December 1-4, 7-11, 14-18 and 26-31 from 3 to 9 p.m. (Brookfield Zoo will not open until 3 p.m. on Holiday Magic dates.) Prior to arriving at the zoo, guests who prefer to park in the south lot will need to secure advanced reservations (including zoo members) as well as admission and parking tickets online at CZS.org/HolidayMagic . Advanced reservations are not required for those who use the north parking lot, however, guests are encouraged to secure admission and parking online prior to their visit. Holiday Magic® features over two million twinkling LED lights creating an evening filled with shining moments. The “Sea of Lights” returns with a new exciting design featuring two miles of colorful, sparkling lights synchronized to music, on the zoo’s entire West Mall. The transformation into a magical creation of moving lights will immerse guests in the holiday spirit as will the adjacent 600-foot-long “Tunnel of Lights,” presented by Xfinity, that zoogoers can walk through. Brookfield Zoo’s 41-foot-tall tree lit with brilliantly colored LED lights and choreographed to seasonal tunes will greet guests as they enter the north entrance. Strolling along the zoo’s malls and around Roosevelt Fountain, guests also can view 750 community and 70 corporate lit trees decorated with ornaments. Holiday Magic is the perfect opportunity for taking dazzling family snapshots. Remember your visit with a picture inside a luminous 20-foot-tall orb aglow with thousands of sparkling LED lights or next to a 16-foot-tall 3D gingerbread house, a holiday-themed festive frame, and even a Santa Claus cutout. Larger-than-life illuminated animal sculptures, including a giraffe, bison, bear, and reindeer, add to the ambiance throughout the park. Guests of all ages are invited to embark on a fun-filled scavenger hunt in search of 27 sneaky gnomes in this year’s Game of Gnomes. Each gnome measures between 12 to 20 inches high and are hidden around the zoo’s grounds. Several indoor and outdoor animal habitats are open during Holiday Magic, including Tropic World (South America and Asia sections only), Pachyderm House, Big Cats, Swamp, Feathers and Scales, Reptiles and Birds, Living Coast, Hamill Family Wild Encounters (reindeer and goats only), Great Bear Wilderness, Australia House (access to front section only), and Hamill Family Play Zoo. All indoor animal buildings close at 8:30 p.m., with the exception of Tropic World and Hamill Family Play Zoo, which close at 8 p.m. Kids can deposit their written holiday greetings and drawings for the animals in a designated box, as well as drop off letters to Santa Claus in a giant red box, both located on the zoo’s South Mall. The fun doesn’t stop at holiday lights—guests can take a spin on the skating rink, located on the East Mall. Open on Holiday Magic dates only, the rink is made of synthetic plastic known as Glice®—a material composed of heat-pressed layers of polymers—so no water or electricity is required for operation. The cost for unlimited time for all skaters on the rink is $7. A limited number of skates are available to rent for a $5 fee. Skaters are welcome to bring their own skates. Stop by the zoo’s shops for unique holiday gifts to share the cheer. The zoo’s restaurants and food stands will also offer holiday-themed food and drinks for purchase. Admission to Brookfield Zoo is $24.95 for adults, $17.95 for children ages 3-11, and $19.95 for seniors 65 and over. Parking is $15. For more information about Holiday Magic, visit CZS.org/HolidayMagic .

BROOKFIELD ZOO | Holiday Magic® at Brookfield Zoo Returns for its 41st Dazzling Year

Holiday Magic is the Perfect Opportunity for Taking Dazzling Family Snapshots & More!

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SEASONAL FOOD, BEER & LIVE MUSIC AWAIT Toss on your best lederhosen – it’s time to celebrate Oktoberfest at Brookfield Zoo, sponsored by Leinenkugel’s. Seasonal food, beer, and live Polka music await guests on Saturday, September 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests, who are at least 21 years old, can say “Prost!” (Cheers!) at the Beer Garden on the zoo’s East Mall while enjoying refreshing cool Oktoberfest beer available for purchase. Additionally, mouthwatering fall favorites featured on the menu include bratwurst, sausages, pretzels with beer cheese, and more. Zoogoers of all ages can join in on the fun and dance to live Polka music on the East Mall. Bratwurst Brothers will entertain guests beginning at 11 a.m., and following a short break, Keith Stras & Polka Confetti will take the stage from 2:15 to 5 p.m. Also, be on the lookout for the Leinie’s PolkaPedi that will be making its way around the park between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. offering complimentary memorabilia. Brookfield Zoo’s Oktoberfest is free with general admission of $24.95 for adults, $17.95 for children ages 3 to 11, and $19.95 for seniors 65 and over. Parking is $15. For additional information, visit CZS.org/Oktoberfest . ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT DINING + COCKTAILS

BROOKFIELD ZOO | Celebrate Oktoberfest at Brookfield Zoo

Seasonal Food, Beer & Live Music Await

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A FUN & UNIQUE WAY TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL POPCORN DAY BROOKFIELD–On National Popcorn Day (January 19), and as in previous years, in celebration of the event, the western lowland gorillas at Brookfield Zoo were treated to the low-fat snack food. The air-popped popcorn rained upon the gorillas from timed feeders that are located in their habitat at Tropic World: Africa. The feeders, which are part of the zoo’s enrichment program, allow various food items, including popcorn, to be released at random times during the day, encouraging the animals to forage for food. Also, joining in the celebration this year were the zoo’s lowland tapirs, Sonny and Sorghum (pronounced soar-gum), who seemed to enjoy the tasty treat. And, the zoo’s Polish chicken named Imelda (pronounced eye-melda) foraged through her supply of popcorn to get at some yummy mealworms. According to several websites, the United States is the top country of popcorn consumption. ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT CARING + SHARING

BROOKFIELD ZOO | National Popcorn Day Celebrated at Brookfield Zoo

Gorillas & Other Zoo Animals Had a Day of Fun as Popcorn Rained Down on Them

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PLAN A MERRY & BRIGHT FAMILY ADVENTURE THIS SEASON BROOKFIELD–Now in its 39th year, get ready to visit Chicagoland’s largest and longest-running lights festival featuring over a million twinkling LED lights! Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic runs Friday through Sunday, November 27-29; Wednesday through Sunday, December 2-6, 9-13, & 16-20; and Saturday through Thursday, December 26-31. For pricing, parking information and more, visit www.czs.org/HolidayMagic . Advance purchase tickets required. ALL HOLIDAY HAPPY ALL ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT ALL KID STUFF

BROOKFIELD ZOO | Over One Million Twinkling LED Lights

PLAN A MERRY & BRIGHT FAMILY ADVENTURE THIS SEASON BROOKFIELD–Now in its 39th year, get ready to visit Chicagoland’s largest and...

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ZOO OPENS TO MEMBERS JULY 1; GENERAL PUBLIC JULY 8 The Chicago Zoological Society (CZS), which manages Brookfield Zoo announces its phased reopening plan after being temporarily closed to guests since March 19 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Zoo members are welcomed to once again enjoy the outdoor areas of the park beginning July 1 and the general public starting July 8. “Brookfield Zoo has been closed for nearly four months and we are eagerly looking forward to welcoming guests back to reconnect with animals and nature,” said Stuart Strahl, president and CEO of CZS. “We have been following guidelines set forth by local, state, and federal government and health agencies to ensure the well-being of our zoo guests, staff, volunteers, and the animals.” A number of enhanced operational protocols and procedures have been set in place, and it is highly recommended for guests to read through them at CZS.org/KnowBeforeYouGo prior to visiting Brookfield Zoo. Some of these safety practices include: · • To ensure safe social distancing, a reserved timed-ticketing system to limit guest capacity is being implemented. Reservation times will be available in 20-minute increments. All admission and parking tickets must be secured by both members and guests prior to arriving. Reservations for time-ticketing will be available soon at CZS.org . No tickets will be sold on site. All tickets are nonrefundable and no rain checks will made. • To minimize person-to-person contact, the zoo is instituting a cashless environment—only credit card transactions will be accepted at outdoor food and beverage carts and merchandise kiosks. • Face coverings are required for guests age 2 and over. • In order to provide adequate social distancing, at this time, all indoor spaces—animal buildings, restaurants, and gift shops—are temporarily closed. Seasonal food stands and outdoor souvenir carts will be open throughout the zoo. • Other areas temporarily closed include play areas, splash pads, water misters, drinking fountains, The Carousel, Motor Safari tram rides, and Butterflies! (seasonal exhibit). The goat yard at Hamill Family Play Zoo will also be closed, but guests will still be able to feed the goats from a designated area. • High-touch areas and restrooms will be sanitized with hospital-grade cleaners and conducted on an increased cleaning schedule. • Hand-sanitizing stations will be located throughout the 216-acre park. • Signage and visual markers will be located throughout the zoo to remind guests to maintain adequate social distancing. • The zoo will not be distributing its paper map at the gates. Instead, guests can download it from the zoo’s website or use a phone to take a photo of the large map that will be displayed at both the north and south entrances. Additional operational protocols include all staff having their temperatures checked at the start of each work day, wearing face coverings, and wearing gloves if handling food or product. In addition to seeing animals, including the zoo’s two male African lions, bears, giraffes, grey seals, wallabies, African painted dogs, and Mexican wolves, in their outdoor habitats, with the reopening of Brookfield Zoo, guests can go back in time—way back to a prehistoric period. More than 40 life-like, earth-shaking animatronic dinosaurs have descended on the park as part of a temporary exhibit—Dinos Everywhere!. Zoogoers will have the chance to explore outdoor areas and embark on a safari in search of all the dinosaurs, including the Argentinosaurus. This massive dinosaur—measuring more than 100 feet in length and standing three-stories tall—can’t be missed on the zoo’s West Mall. The interactive exhibit will allow dino lovers of all ages to put their dinosaur knowledge to the test! Guests can answer dino-related trivia questions for an opportunity to win a prize. Not to mention there are plenty of opportunities to snap selfies alongside your favorite prehistoric behemoth. Dinos Everywhere! was created by “Jurassic Park” advisor, Don Lessum and is on loan from Dino Don, Inc. and The Wildlife Conservation Society. For nature enthusiasts who are looking for a place to venture out and walk around, the zoo’s park-like setting is a perfect destination. Awarded a Level II Accreditation through the ArbNet program in 2013, Brookfield Zoo has more than 100 trees and woody plant species located throughout the park. Visit CZS.org/TreeGuide to download a detailed map that identifies the zoo’s complete list of trees, where they are located, and a brief description about each tree, including images. Then, embark on a self-guided tour to locate some or all of the trees. Limiting guests to only outdoor areas is the first phase of Brookfield Zoo’s reopening plan. Staff is continuously monitoring local, state, and federal guidelines, including appropriate social distancing and group size, to determine when to increase attendance and allow guests access to indoor animal buildings as well as restaurants and gift shops at reduced capacities. Admission to Brookfield Zoo, which includes access to Dinos Everywhere!, is $24.95 for adults, $17.95 for children ages 3-11 and $19.95 for seniors 65 and over. Parking is $15. During these unprecedented times, Brookfield Zoo has been closed for nearly four months with no revenue coming in from gate admissions and in-park gift shop, restaurant, and catered event sales. In that time, the zoo’s dedicated staff has continued to provide the animals with outstanding care. Support from the public is need now more than ever. Those who would like to help and contribute to the care of the more than 2,000 animals who call Brookfield Zoo home, can visit the zoo’s website at CZS.org/Donate . MORE DETAILS ALL ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

BROOKFIELD ZOO | Reopening Plan Released–Reservations Required

ZOO OPENS TO MEMBERS JULY 1; GENERAL PUBLIC JULY 8 The Chicago Zoological Society (CZS), which manages Brookfield Zoo announces its...

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FEATURING LIVE CHATS & AT-HOME ACTIVITIES ALL WEEK LONG If Brookfield Zoo was open, animal care specialists and volunteers would be engaging guests in a variety of bear-themed activities during its annual Bear Awareness celebration. However, since the zoo is temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event is going virtual in a BEAR-y big way with live chats, videos, and fun activities to do at home. Throughout the week of May 17, bear lovers of all ages can learn about the zoo’s three species of bears—polar bears, Alaskan brown bears, and sloth bears. Tune in to Brookfield Zoo’s “Bringing the Zoo to You” Facebook Live chat on May 19 at 11:00 a.m. to find out about the Alaskan brown bear brothers—Jim and Axhi. In the afternoon on May 19, an Instagram live chat at 2:00 p.m. will feature the zoo’s nutritionist, who will present the diets of all the bears, including Hudson and Nan, the zoo’s two polar bears. Finally on May 21, via Facebook Live at 11:00 a.m., viewers can see the sloth bears interacting with their wobble tree and learn the different ways they use their sense of smell. Those who can’t tune in at the scheduled times, can watch all the chats on the zoo’s Youtube channel and Facebook page. Additionally during the week, other pre-recorded videos will be posted on the zoo’s social media channels that highlight how the bears are cared for at Brookfield Zoo, the threats and concerns bears face in the wild, and some fun facts that showcase the bears’ personalities. On Brookfield Zoo’s website at CZS.org/BearAwarenessWeek , kids can download bear-centrric “I Scienced” At-Home activity sheets, both in English and Spanish. Coloring pages featuring polar bears and brown bears are also available to download as well as three different bear masks. Kids can color one or all of the masks, cut them out, and then tape a string to each one to wear around their own local wilderness. Those interested in helping care for Brookfield Zoo’s bears can contribute to the Animal Adoption program. For $35, a recipient receives the Basic Package, which includes a 5-inch x 7-inch color photograph of a polar bear, Alaskan brown bear, or sloth bear; a personalized certificate of adoption; a fact sheet about the species of choice; and an Animal Adoption program decal. To purchase a package, visit CZS.org/AnimalAdoption . During its temporary closure, Brookfield Zoo has been keeping the public connected to animals and nature with its weekday Facebook Live chats and Instagram chats on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In addition to bear-themed educational activities, the zoo also has several other fun and engaging “I Scienced” At-Home e-learning resources for pre-kindergarten to second graders. These can be downloaded at www.CZS.org/BringingTheZooToYou

BROOKFIELD ZOO | Bear Awareness Celebration Goes Virtual

FEATURING LIVE CHATS & AT-HOME ACTIVITIES ALL WEEK LONG If Brookfield Zoo was open, animal care specialists and volunteers would be...

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CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY SADDENED TO ANNOUNCE LOSS OF MALE AFRICAN LION The New Year begins on a very sad note at Brookfield Zoo, as the Chicago Zoological Society announces the loss of Zenda, its male African lion, who would’ve turned 14 this July. Just before Christmas, animal care staff observed Zenda having difficulty standing and walking. Over the past week, veterinarians had been treating his symptoms with medication to help ease the pain. However, yesterday, January 2, his well-being declined dramatically and the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him. Preliminary necropsy results revealed Zenda had several degenerative discs in his spine that had ruptured as a result of his advanced age and were inoperable. Zenda, who was considered geriatric, arrived at Brookfield Zoo in May 2008. In his later years, he began losing his impressive mane, but his majestic roar could often be heard from across the park. He was incredibly protective of his mate, Isis, who also arrived that same year. He could often be seen either grooming Isis or sleeping with a paw on her. Over the years, animal care specialists developed a respectful relationship with Zenda. He even cooperated in his own health care by participating in voluntary blood draws taken from his tail and presenting a paw for vaccine injections. Staff will be monitoring and working closely with Isis, who will turn 15 this year, over the next several weeks to help her adjust to the loss of Zenda. About the Chicago Zoological Society The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by engaging people and communities 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 at 8400 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and also is accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, CTA and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org .

BROOKFIELD ZOO | Saying Goodbye to Zenda

CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY SADDENED TO ANNOUNCE LOSS OF MALE AFRICAN LION The New Year begins on a very sad note at Brookfield Zoo, as...

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