Discover the weird, wacky and wonderful world of nature at Franklin Park Zoo during February School Vacation week. From anteaters to fruit bats, giant African millipedes to pygmy hippos, the natural world is filled with incredible biodiversity. Be sure to check out our zookeeper chats throughout the day to learn more about some of the unusual animals that call Franklin Park Zoo home. Visit the craft table and let your silly side show!
On Monday, February 18, don’t miss out on the birthday party for Little Joe, a western lowland gorilla who turns 26 in February!
It’s Little Joe’s 26th birthday, and you’re invited to the party! The indoor gorilla exhibit at Franklin Park Zoo will be festively decorated and the gorillas will enjoy treats made especially for them. New this year, don’t miss Zookeeper Jake’s puppet show at 11:15 a.m. Guests will also have the opportunity to sign a giant birthday card for Little Joe and enjoy cake from Montilio’s Baking Company, available first come, first serve.
After you’ve had your fill of cake, be sure to explore the rest of the Tropical Forest, where there will be special zookeeper encounters and crafts for February school vacation week, as we celebrate the weird, wacky and wonderful world of nature.
Please note: the gorillas will go on exhibit at 10:15 a.m.
In celebration of the Lunar New Year, visit Franklin Park Zoo on Saturday, February 2 for a special performance and zookeeper encounters! At 11:00 a.m., watch as the Imperial Lion Dance Team perform the Lion Dance in front of the Tropical Forest. The lion dance is a part of traditional Chinese folklore and culture, and is said to ward away evil spirits and summon luck and fortune.
2019 is the year of the pig and we’re celebrating Franklin Farm’s Guinea hogs, Anabella and Cordelia with a special zookeeper encounter. Keep warm inside the festively decorated Tropical Forest, where guests can let their creativity soar at the craft table with paper lanterns.
Thrills, chills, and animals await you at Franklin Park Zoo’s annual Zoo Howl! During this popular Halloween event, children throughout New England are invited to trick-or-treat among the animals at the Zoo. Other haunted happenings include creepy crafts, ghoulish games, costume contests and a haunted maze! Throughout the day, guests can learn about the importance of enrichment as they watch as many of the animals receive pumpkins as enrichment items.
Feel like you’re in a fairytale at Franklin Park Zoo! Meet a few of your favorite princesses and join Jack and the Pirates of the Rogues’ Armada as they invade the Zoo on Saturday, September 29. Meet and pose for photos with the princesses and learn how you can be a pirate under the instruction of Captain Jack and his crew. There will also be crafts, special animal encounters and an education station. Kids are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite fairy tale outfit, and don’t forget the camera!
Visitors to Franklin Park Zoo are invited to celebrate International Red Panda Day on September 15! Guests to the Zoo can learn more about red pandas when they stop by an education station or partake in zookeeper encounters at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the red panda exhibit within the Children’s Zoo. This is the perfect opportunity to ask questions and find out what you can do to help their wild population, which face threats including illegal hunting and habitat destruction due to increased logging and farming. This small mammal is known for its soft, dense red fur that covers even the soles of its feet and keeps it warm in the forests of its Himalayan habitat, as well as its ring-tail and mask-like face. Zoo New England is committed to the conservation of these animals and is an active participant in the Red Panda Species Survival Plan (SSP) – a cooperative, inter-zoo program coordinated nationally through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. SSPs are designed to maintain genetically diverse and demographically stable captive populations of species.
We’re going out with a big bang, as Destination Dino at Franklin Park Zoo comes to an end. Join us on Saturday, September 1, for dinosaur facts, crafts, and more as we celebrate all things prehistoric! Don’t miss your chance to hear from zookeepers, as they highlight a few of the Zoo’s animals that may even be related to our dino friends. At Destination Dino, you’ll come face-to-face with colossal creatures from the past, from the towering Tyrannosaurus Rex to the emu-like Citipati. Nestled within a winding, wooded pathway, these roaring, life-like animatronic dinosaurs will thrill visitors of all ages.
Don’t miss the ninth annual Brew at the Zoo! Brew at the Zoo is a beer-tasting event that offers guests the opportunity to walk on the wild side as they sample offerings from local breweries and restaurants. The entire zoo (weather permitting) will be open for this event, with the exception of the seasonal Butterfly Landing exhibit. Sip some delicious brews and visit with western lowland gorillas, ring-tailed lemurs, pygmy hippos, and other species in the Zoo’s Tropical Forest Pavilion, as well as giraffes, zebras, kangaroos and many other animals. Don’t miss a visit to Aussie Aviary, a seasonal free-flight aviary featuring brightly-colored budgies.
Take pride in your ROAR and let it be heard in honor of World Lion Day, celebrated in August. Visit the Kalahari Kingdom inside Franklin Park Zoo to see 9-year-old lion brothers, Dinari and Kamaia, and get to know more about them as you ask questions directly to staff during zookeeper chats. Unleash you inner big cat with lion-themed crafts and activities and learn more about these majestic animals and why conservation efforts on their behalf is so important.
Save the day with the PJ Masks at Franklin Park Zoo on Saturday, August 4! Don’t miss this action-packed day as you meet and pose for photos with the mystery-solving heroes from the hit series on Disney Junior. Guests are invited to come dressed as their favorite PJ Masks hero – and don’t forget the camera! *PJ Masks characters will be available for photos in half-hour increments at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 1:30 p.m.
