News & Media

Contact:  Susan Kricun, (602) 265-2413, (602) 628-1350 or susan@kricun.com

                Lauren Strait, (602) 914-4363, (602) 300-9039 or lstrait@thephxzoo.com

ZOOLIGHTS GOES WILD

ZOO OFFERS FREE ADMISSION FOR SPECIAL NIGHT

IN EXCHANGE FOR CANNED FOOD ITEM TO THANK COMMUNITY & CELEBRATE NEW YEAR

Public invited to celebrate the New Year on Sunday with 2.5 million lights, fun music & FREE admission.

PHOENIX (January 14, 2009) – The Phoenix Zoo announced today that they are turning on the ZooLights for one final night on Sunday, Jan. 18 – and offering FREE admission  as ZooLights Goes WILD to ring in the New Year and thank the Valley for its support.

Zoo hours that day will be from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. with ZooLights firing up at 5:30 p.m. There are two ways to take advantage of this special day. Daytime guests can enjoy the Zoo during the day for regular Zoo admission and stay for the free show that night, or guests can come in after 5 p.m. just to enjoy ZooLights Goes WILD. Admission after 5 p.m. is free with a food donation to benefit Desert Mission Food Bank, St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and United Food Bank. Cash donations to benefit the Arizona Association of Food Banks will also be accepted.

“We depend on the support of Valley families year-round and, let’s face it, these are challenging times for many families, ” said Phoenix Zoo Executive Vice President Jim Brewer. “We wanted to say ‘thank you’ for the support and offer a fun and free night out while also offering the chance to help the community with the canned food donations.”

President  & CEO of the Association of Arizona Food Banks Ginny Hildebrand said, “We are all thankful to be the beneficiaries of ZooLights Goes WILD.  The Phoenix Zoo is treating the community to a wonderful evening’s entertainment while generously directing much needed support to Valley-wide food banks in this time of great need.”

Brewer also said that several of their ZooLights vendors are getting in on the spirit by supplying their services for free. ProEM, National Barricade, Shumway Security and Ahern Rentals are each providing services and equipment to help the event.

While the lights of ZooLights Goes WILD will be the same, the music for this one-night show will be a little different as “normal” fun music will replace the usual holiday music of ZooLights. All of the normal activities available during ZooLights – the Endangered Species Carousel, Stingray Bay, camel rides, Wild Adventures rock and coconut tree climbing – will also be available at their normal fees.

Road closures due to the morning’s Rock ‘N Roll Marathon will affect access to the Zoo before 1 p.m. Guests are encouraged to access the Zoo from the north, using Galvin Parkway from McDowell Road, before 1 p.m. All roads should be open and available after that and in the evening.

More information about ZooLights Goes WILD can be found by visiting www.phoenixzoo.org or calling (602) 273-1341.

About the Phoenix Zoo:

The Phoenix Zoo is a non-profit zoological park that has served over 41 million guests since opening in 1962. Home to more than 1, 300 animals and many endangered and threatened species, the Zoo is dedicated to inspiring people to live in ways that promote the well being of the natural world.

About the Association of Arizona Food Banks:

The Association of Arizona Food Banks is a private, non-profit organization established in 1984 to bring a more efficient, coordinated approach to the enormous task of providing emergency food to the growing number of hungry Arizonans. The Association partners with the public and private sectors to improve service delivery and maximize food resources at every level. It addresses the need for food today and advocates for improved nutrition services at the state and federal level to develop food security for the future.

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