Birmingham, Alabama – Get an early start to 2024. Two Zoo Year’s Eve celebrations featuring Jingles, a giant plush monkey, are planned for Sunday, December 31. These are very family friendly events for those who may have trouble staying up until midnight. The giant 5-foot plush monkey will be given away in a drawing at the end of the evening.
DAYTIME CELEBRATION – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.: A daytime celebration will be held at your Birmingham Zoo from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., with a massive plush monkey named Jingles being lowered at 2:00 p.m. in a countdown for the New Year. Special keeper chats featuring our resident primates will be held in the Primate/South America Building at 1:15 and 2:30 p.m. Fun educational activities related to the drop and New Year’s Eve will be available from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the main plaza.
Daytime Celebration:
1:15 p.m. – Primate Zookeeper Chat in the Primate/South America Building
2:00 –p.m. – Jingles Monkey Countdown Drop in the Plaza. Photo opportunities.
1:30 p.m. – Primate Zookeeper Chat in the Primate/South America Building
1:00 to 3:00 p.m. – Educational activities in the Plaza
PRIMATES & PAJAMAS: When the sun goes down, a second Zoo Year’s Eve celebration will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Put on your PJs and come help countdown the new year with a special NYE drop at 6:00 p.m. Participate in fun photo opportunities and enjoy the educational activities from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Stroll among the 150+ animal lanterns at Glow Wild and watch the acrobatic shows at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. Since the Primate/South America Building will be closed at night for the animals to sleep, a special primate scavenger hunt will feature primate lanterns.
Primates & Pajamas Nighttime Celebration:
5:00 to 7:00 p.m. – Educational activities in the zoo’s plaza
6:00 p.m. – Jingles Monkey Countdown Drop in the zoo’s plaza. Photo opportunities.
5:00 to 9:00 p.m. – Primate Lantern Scavenger Hunt throughout Wild Glow
These Zoo Year’s Eve celebrations are included in the cost of zoo admission or the price to attend Glow Wild. The Red Diamond Express train and Full Moon Bar-B-Que Adventure Tower should be available during both celebrations for an additional fee. Glow Wild is sponsored by Alabama Power. UAB Callahan Eye is the supporting sponsor.
About Jingles: Jingles is possibly the biggest plush monkey you’ve ever seen and he is bringing the holiday spirit into 2024. We aren’t monkeying around, he a larger than life size 5-foot-tall monkey who will make your eyes go wide and put a big smile on your face. Jingles has a silly monkey face, big hands and feet, long arms and legs and a floppy tail. One lucky guest will win Jingles at the end of the evening.
Monkeys and The Birmingham Zoo: Monkeys have been a big part of the Birmingham Zoo from the zoo’s very beginning. Monkey Island was the first animal habitat constructed for the zoo and 55monkeys were present when the attraction opened to the public in 1955. After the opening of the Primate/South America Building, Monkey Island was removed in 2009 to make way for the new elephant habitat. Monkeys still have a special focus at the Birmingham Zoo. The zoo’s diverse collection includes black handed spider monkeys, De Brazza’s monkeys, black howler monkeys, and squirrel monkeys. While not monkeys, the Primate/South America Building also features Sumatran orangutans, a white handed gibbon, lemurs, and a jaguar, among others.
The Birmingham Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Approximately 550 animals of 180 species call the Birmingham Zoo home, including Pallas’ cats, lion, zebras, elephants, giraffes, and endangered species from six continents. The Birmingham Zoo is the only AZA-accredited zoo in Alabama.
MEDIA CONTACT
Bill Lang, Director, Marketing & Events
Blang@Birminghamzoo.com; Cell – 205.218.3561
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook @BirminghamZoo ; Twitter @BirminghamZoo ; Instagram @bhamzoo
www.birminghamzoo.com I 2630 Cahaba Road I Birmingham, AL 35223
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