Extended hours, enrichment demonstrations, colorful animals and tons of family fun are in store at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on the Fourth of July.
The Zoo’s annual Independence Day celebration Red, White & Zoo returns Wednesday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with special red, white and blue holiday themed enrichment treats for the animals between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Animals getting festive treats from the keepers might include the colobus monkeys on Monkey Island, the fossa, swamp monkeys and mandrills inside the Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building and the polar bear and grizzly cubs in Northern Trek. The final schedule will be posted on clemetzoo.com closer to the day of the event.
Guests can also mark their route through the Zoo with a special list of red, white and blue animals such as the red kangaroo and blue poison dart frog to complete their own “Parade the Zoo for Red, White & Blue.”
And no trip to the Zoo would be complete without checking out some of the summer Hot Spots including Professor Wylde’s Live Animal Show in the Savanna Theater, the new live animal presentation in the Ballarat Theatre in Australian Adventure, elephant crossings at African Elephant Crossing, chances to meet the animal keepers, Get Close Animal Encounters, lorikeet feedings and the African Elephant Family Play Maze.
Northeast Ohio’s most-visited year-round attraction, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with hours extended to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission is $12.25 per person, $8.25 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for children younger than 2 and Zoo members. Parking is free. Located at 3900 Wildlife Way, the Zoo is easily accessible from Interstates 71, 90 and 480.
To learn more, visit clemetzoo.com or call (216) 661-6500.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo . . . Connecting People with Wildlife