By Sarah Peterson, Education Administrator
What is ‘Party for the Planet’?
From April 22 through June 8, Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) institutions across North America celebrate our planet with the largest combined Earth Day, Endangered Species Day, and World Ocean Day event—Party for the Planet!
Party for the Planet is a joint celebration focused on helping our communities connect with the natural world and providing ways to preserve Earth’s biodiversity. We do this by focusing on three action areas: Conserve, Create, and Connect. These areas are designed to support local communities in protecting the natural world by giving individuals the tools to create native wildlife habitats.
What is Elmwood Park Zoo doing for Party for the Planet?
We are celebrating Party for the Planet on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We’ll have over 14 vendors from a variety of conservation-focused organizations set up throughout the Zoo with informational tables, giveaways, and activities!
Throughout the Zoo, our keeper team will be hosting specialized keeper chats for the event. These chats will focus on the bigger picture of AZA institutions and how Elmwood Park Zoo plays an important role in conservation through participation in Species Survival Plans (SSPs).
In addition, our education team will be conducting Wild Encounters presented by Action Karate in the Zoo Bowl Theater throughout the day. These programs give guests an up-close look at some of Pennsylvania’s native species and highlight why these backyard animals are so important to our local ecosystems. Guests can also stop by our Discovery Center classroom, where educators will lead hands-on activities like exploring water samples from nearby Stony Creek, digging through compost bins, or dissecting flowers. These activities help showcase the tiny—but mighty—organisms that keep our ecosystems healthy.
With the help of the Pennsylvania Zoo Council, Elmwood Park Zoo is also excited to offer a free native plant giveaway to select guests! We’re partnering with John Ball Zoo’s Habitat Hero program—a free online database that tracks pollinator corridors across the United States. Guests can take their native plants home and log their planting location in the database to see the real-time impact they’re making on local pollinator habitats.
Why is this important?
According to the IUCN Red List, which tracks the conservation status of animals, fungi, and plants worldwide, more than 47,000 species are currently threatened with extinction—about 28% of all assessed species.
Here in southeastern Pennsylvania alone, there are over 70 recognized endangered species, many of which call Elmwood Park Zoo home. One of the biggest challenges these animals face is habitat loss and fragmentation. As natural spaces are cleared for development and infrastructure, ecosystems are either lost entirely or broken into smaller, disconnected areas, making it difficult for species to meet their basic needs.
By attending our Party for the Planet celebration, guests can play an active role in restoring local pollinator habitats and become part of a nationwide conservation effort—right in their own backyards.
