Kids are invited to bring their favorite teddy bears to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for Teddy Bear Day on Saturday, September 27. Children with a teddy bear (or plush toy of any species) receive free admission to the Zoo with a paid adult admission.

Official teddy bear doctors will examine your fuzzy friend for common ailments including plumpness and flexibility. All patients receive a "Beary" Good Health Certificate.

Plus, all visitors will see how the Zoo takes care of one of the largest collections of bear species in North America, including sloth, grizzly and polar bears. Special Meet-the-Bear-Keeper programs will highlight the exceptional care the Zoo's bears receive and will encourage visitors to get more involved in conservation efforts for their counterparts in the wild.

The fun kicks off at 10 a.m. at the Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine, where teddy will get an official check-up. Then, at 11:30 a.m. you can join the BJ's Wholesale Club Teddy Bear Parade, a fun-filled musical journey to see the Zoo's bears and talk to the Zoo's bear keepers.

Other fun activities include face painting, animal encounters, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital Safety Zone, meet-and-greets with WBNX's Ali and WQAL's Tim Richards and much more.

A full schedule of Teddy Bear Day activities is available at clemetzoo.com.

Northeast Ohio's most-visited year-round attraction, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $10 per person, $6 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for children under 2 and Zoo members. Parking is free. Located at 3900 Wildlife Way, the Zoo is easily accessible from Interstates 71, 77, 90 and 480.

To learn more, visit clemetzoo.com or call (216) 661-6500.