Homeschool Workshops
2025-12-19 12:30 - 13:30, 2026-02-13 12:30 - 13:30, 2026-02-27 12:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Each of our 60 minute programs focus on a variety of STEM-based topics while including up-close animal greets, lessons, and hands-on activities. Participants do not have to be a home school students to participate in this program; all learners ages 6 – 12 are welcome.

REGISTRATION & MORE INFORMATION
January 2026
Food Webs and Animal Nutrition | 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
January 9: Ages 6-8 SOLD OUT
January 30: Ages 9-12 SOLD OUT
February 2026
Bird Count | 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
February 13: Ages 6-8 SOLD OUT
February 27: Ages 9-12 SOLD OUT
March 2026
Zookeeping 101 | 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
March 13: Ages 6-8 SOLD OUT
March 20: Ages 9-12 SOLD OUT
April 2026
Earth Day Everyday | 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
April 3: Ages 6-8
April 24: Ages 9-12

REGISTRATION & MORE INFORMATION

Brunch with Santa
2025-12-20 10:00 - 13:45, 2025-12-21 10:00 - 13:45 (America/Halifax)
Celebrate the holidays by enjoying brunch with Santa! Enjoy a delicious brunch buffet with your family in our Canopy Gardens Pavilion and meet one of our beloved education animals. Share your holiday wishes with Santa, snap a photo with him, and enjoy exploring the zoo after your scrumptious brunch. There are three brunch sessions each day: 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM and 1:00PM. Space is limited for this event, so please register early and arrive on time. Your ticket includes admission to the zoo, brunch, and a photo opportunity with Santa.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS AND INFO

Wild Lights Just for You
2025-12-22 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Step into the sparkle of Wild Lights a little earlier during Wild Lights: Just For You!
Tailored for individuals and families with sensory sensitivities, this experience features softer sounds and smaller crowds so that you can enjoy the illuminated wonder of the zoo at your own pace.
December 15 | 4 PM – 5 PM
December 22 | 4 PM – 5 PM
$15.95 | person
PURCHASE TICKETS

*Personal care attendants and/or one-on-one aids may enter at no charge.

Presented by Danella, Wild Lights features brilliant light displays throughout the entire zoo, along with animal encounters, music, carousel rides, and more!

If you have any questions, please email zoo@elmwoodparkzoo.org.

Free Admission for Norristown Borough Residents at Wild Lights
2025-12-27 17:00 - 21:00, 2025-12-28 17:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Elmwood Park Zoo extends our gratitude to our loyal Norristown residents by offering FREE zoo admission to Norristown Borough residents* on December 27 and December 28 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm*.

REGISTER HERE
Registration is required. Space is limited.

*Adults must show photo I.D. as proof of residency. Children must be accompanied by a Borough resident. Non-residents will be charged normal admission rates. Borough residents (19401) are defined by living within the following four boundaries:

east of Forrest Avenue
south of Johnson Highway
west of Sandy Hill Road/E Fornance Street
north of the Schuylkill River

Members Exclusive: Live Veterinary Exams
2026-01-13 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-14 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-20 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-21 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-27 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-28 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-04 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-13 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) and 3 more dates
Elmwood Park Zoo is opening the doors of our Welcome Center exclusively to members — and offering a unique opportunity to witness real veterinary care in action.
Members will have live viewing access to exams and procedures happening inside the Frank & Paige Engro Veterinary Health Center, with the chance to ask questions directly to our veterinary team as they work. This experience is designed to deepen your connection to the animals you love — and showcase the incredible care that happens behind the scenes every day.
The Welcome Center will be open each of the listed days below from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, with access to watch the exams, Buck Cafe for food and beverages, as well as the Gift Shop.

Exam Schedule

Wednesday, February 18
11:00 AM | Stuart and Bob (Domestic Ferrets) | Cardiac Exam
Tuesday, March 3
10:00 AM | Snowy (Owl) | Exam

Why This Matters
This exclusive experience highlights the role of modern veterinary medicine in animal welfare, conservation, and long-term care. By opening this space to members, we’re giving you an inside look at the compassion, expertise, and innovation that supports every animal at Elmwood Park Zoo.

Not a Member? Join our Flock!
Members get access to exclusive experiences like this – plus free daily admission, event perks, and behind-the-scenes opportunities year round.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!

Climate Watch
2026-01-13 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
Tuesday, January 13 • 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Elmwood Park Zoo – Canopy Gardens Hall
Climate Watch is an important community science project started by the National Audubon Society to understand how birds are reacting to climate change and to test our climate models. Join us for a training session where you’ll learn how to identify species such as White-breasted Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebirds, and Eastern Towhee, and you will be taught the Climate Watch methodologies you’ll need to know for data collection and reporting your findings. You’ll also be able to choose your Climate Watch location(s) from the map we’ll provide. Carey Wentz, the John James Audubon Center’s Bird Care Coordinator, in partnership with education staff at EPZ, will lead this exciting training session.
This event is free to attend, but registration is required.
Register Here

MLK Day Programming at the Centre Theater
2026-01-19 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Join our partners at the Charles L. Blockson Exhibit at the Centre Theater for programming celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr.
See below for the full program schedule.

MLK DAY 2026 AT THE CENTRE THEATER
January 19th | 10 AM – 4 PM
10 AM – 12 PM Service Project and Street Cleaning | CANCELLED
12 PM – 3 PM Docent-Led Tours | Charles L. Blockson Exhibit, Third Floor of Centre Theater
2 PM – 4 PM MLK Feature Film | Fourth Floor of the Centre Theater
All Day MLK Special Exhibit, Curated by Hannah Wallace | Charles L. Blockson Exhibit, Third Floor of Centre Theater
All Day Coloring Puzzles and Scavenger Hunts | Charles L. Blockson Exhibit, Third Floor of Centre Theater

Tiny Tots & Tall Tales
2026-02-04 09:30 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
Visit our newest member-exclusive program to enjoy the adventures of reading among the wild! This program is perfect for toddlers and features a live reading of a story about an animal that calls the Zoo home, followed by fun facts about the animal from our educators. See below for a schedule of featured animals, books, and locations.
Pre-registration is required. A $5.00 per child will be collected at the beginning of each event.

Click Here to Register

This event is exclusive to our Yearly Members. Not a member? Join today and take advantage of this member-exclusive perk immediately.

Tiny Tots & Tall Tales Schedule
Wednesday, February 4 |Welcome Center | 9:30 AM | Amara and The Bats by Emma Reynolds
Wednesday, March 4 | Trail of Jaguar | 9:30 AM | Crossings: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals by Katy Duffield
Wednesday, April 1 | Welcome Center | 9:30 AM | Who Eats Orange by Dianne White and Robin Page

Great Backyard Bird Count
2026-02-13 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
This interactive experience is perfect for bird lovers of all ages and skill levels! Participants will identify and count local birds to create a real-time snapshot of where they are migrating and living. The Great Backyard Bird Count takes place across the country and helps avian researchers gather information to better protect wild birds!
This program is FREE to attend; registration is required.

Eco-Family Workshops: Great Backyard Bird Count

February 13 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | DC Classroom
Register
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This workshop is part of our Eco-Family Programs: engaging programs and workshops that offer a deeper dive into fascinating aspects of the natural world.

Great Backyard Bird Count
2026-02-14 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
This interactive experience is perfect for bird lovers of all ages and skill levels! Participants will identify and count local birds to create a real-time snapshot of where they are migrating and living. The Great Backyard Bird Count takes place across the country and helps avian researchers gather information to better protect wild birds!
This program is FREE to attend; registration is required.

Eco-Family Workshops: Great Backyard Bird Count

February 14 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | DC Classroom
Register
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This workshop is part of our Eco-Family Programs: engaging programs and workshops that offer a deeper dive into fascinating aspects of the natural world.

Winterfest Weekend
2026-02-14 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-15 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Get ready to frolic in the frost at Elmwood Park Zoo’s Winterfest Weekend! We’re embracing the chilly weather with winter-themed entertainment and fun activities! Slide into excitement on a twenty foot ice slide presented by KeyBank and crafted by the talented Ice Concepts. Meet our adorable animal ambassadors, dance to live music, take a spin on the carousel, and warm up by the fire while crafting a delicious s’more. Plus, for our guests 21 and older, indulge in drink specials at ZooBrew to add a spirited touch to the winter festivities.
*Slide is weather permitting. Additional fees may be required for on-site activities.
Tickets are required for non-members. Yearly members are not required to register.

More Information

Our Policy: No refunds or rescheduling. Winterfest is a rain or shine event. Elmwood Park Zoo has the right to cancel, change, or postpone any program/event. In the event that the zoo cancels the program/event, ticket holders will be contacted directly.

During Winterfest, free zoo admission tickets, reciprocal discounts, Community Partner Passes, Corporate Partner Passes, and other coupons will not be accepted. All Winterfest tickets must be timed and dated for the event.

Great Backyard Bird Count
2026-02-15 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
This interactive experience is perfect for bird lovers of all ages and skill levels! Participants will identify and count local birds to create a real-time snapshot of where they are migrating and living. The Great Backyard Bird Count takes place across the country and helps avian researchers gather information to better protect wild birds!
This program is FREE to attend; registration is required.

Eco-Family Workshops: Great Backyard Bird Count

February 15 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | DC Classroom
Register
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This workshop is part of our Eco-Family Programs: engaging programs and workshops that offer a deeper dive into fascinating aspects of the natural world.

Black History Month Celebration at the Centre Theater
2026-02-28 15:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York)
Visit the Charles L. Blockson Exhibit inside the Centre Theater for a celebration of Black History Month! Featuring a keynote presentation by Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness, 53rd Pastor and first woman to serve as Senior Pastor of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church.
See below for the full program schedule.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION AT THE CENTRE THEATER
February 28th | 3 PM – 7 PM
3 PM – 5 PM Feature Movie | Movie Theater (Fourth Floor)
6 PM – 7 PM Keynote Speaker – Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness | Fourth Floor
All Day Guided Tours of the Blockson Exhibition | Charles L. Blockson Exhibit (Third Floor)
All Day Blockson Scavenger Hunt & Activity Sheets | Charles L. Blockson Exhibit

Jerry Spinelli's Read Across America
2026-03-01 10:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Our annual celebration that focuses on the joys of reading returns on Sunday, March 1, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm! Read Across America is a nationally-celebrated event that aims to motivate reading among children of all ages. You can purchase books from our book fair, spend time with local authors, and meet characters Beauty and Beast during a special story time presentation!

Event Details:

Book Fair & Author Greets: 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
Animal Ambassador Greet: 10:30 am – 11:00 am
Story Time with Characters: Beauty and the Beast 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Authors:

Read Across America is free to attend with zoo admission.
This event is free for yearly members.
Community Partner Passes are not accepted for this event.

Member Mornings PLUS
2026-03-04 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
Rise and shine!

On the first Wednesday of each month, members can early admission to the Zoo with a special early-morning giraffe feeding. See below for details on Member Morning Plus.

Member Morning PLUS Highlights:
Giraffe Feeding: Depending on the time of year, participate in a giraffe feeding during your visit. Tickets are $4 per person and are available for purchase at the exhibit inside the Savanna Station pavilion. Giraffe feedings are available only when temperatures are above 55°F.
Bring a Guest for Free: All membership levels include one additional guest for Member Mornings Plus—free of charge!

Important Details:
No Pre-Registration Required: Simply present a valid photo ID and your current membership card upon arrival.
Giraffe Feeding: Purchase tickets at the exhibit inside the Savanna Station pavilion. Everyone entering the giraffe feeding deck must purchase a feeding ticket, except for babies ages 0–2. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
Community Passes are not accepted for this event.

Start your day with a truly special experience while the Zoo is at its most tranquil—just one of the many perks of being a Zoo member!

2026 Member Mornings PLUS Dates:

Wednesday, March 4th: 9 AM
Wednesday, April 1st: 9 AM
Wednesday, May 6th: 9 AM
Wednesday, June 3rd: 9 AM
Wednesday, July 1st: 9 AM
Wednesday, August 5th: 9 AM
Wednesday, September 2nd: 9 AM
Wednesday, October 7th: 9 AM
Wednesday, November 4th: 11 AM
Wednesday, December 2nd: 11 AM
