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Birthday Parties

 

FRANKLIN PARK ZOO BIRTHDAY RENTALS
Available Seasonally:
Oak Lea Birthday Pavilion Outdoor 40x40 Tent with Adjacent Green Space Seats up to 120 Located Directly Behind the Playground Available until end of October
Available All Year:
Children's Zoo Meeting Barn Classroom Indoor, Multipurpose Space with Direct Access to Children’s Zoo and Barnyard Climate Controlled, Seats up to 50	Tropical Forest Classroom Indoor, Multipurpose Space Inside the Tropical Forest Building Climate Controlled, Seat up to 70
Suggested Times (Subject to Availability): 9 - 11 a.m.; 10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.; 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.; 12:45 - 2:45 p.m. Additional times through Oct. 31 only: 2 - 4 p.m.; 3:15 - 5:15 p.m.

 

BIRTHDAY RENTAL DETAILS

ZNE Members:
$900 through October 31 | $450 Holiday Rate, Nov.1 - March 30
Not Yet Members:
$1000 through October 31 | $500 Holiday Rate, Nov. 1 - March 30

THE ZOO PROVIDES:

Private Venue 30 Minutes of Set Up Time Two Hours for the Party An Event Liaison Free Admission for The Birthday Child Discounted all-day admission for 20 nonmember guests Six-Foot Tables & Seating Table & Chairs Set Up Wayfinding Signage Clean Up, Trash & Recycling Removal Free Parking

YOU PROVIDE:

The Birthday Child Friends and Family Table Covers Décor of Your Choice (for animal safety reasons, no balloons, streamers or confetti – see below) Birthday Cake or Cupcakes, plus Cake Knife, Dessert Plates, Napkins and Utensils FOOD & BEVERAGES: Sodexo Live! is the Zoo’s Exclusive Concessionare. Birthday Party rental does not include catering. You are welcome to bring your own cold food. Examples: birthday cakes, cupcakes, veggie trays, cold cut sandwiches, donuts, etc. Hot foods and beverages are not allowed. These items must be purchased through Sodexo Live! Inquire for the full list of acceptable items.

OPTIONAL BIRTHDAY ADD-ONS:

Zoodopt Plush for the Birthday Child $35 Single Mystery Animal Encounter $100 Supersized Mystery Animal Encounter $150 *FPZ: available year-round *SZ: available June, July & August only Face Painter $200/hour per Artist Caricature Artist $200/hour per Artist Extra Time in 30-Minute Increments: $300/hr. Members or $350/hr. Not Yet Members Discounted Admissions at the Rate of $15/nonmember guests aged 2+  Birthday Menu Choices (for groups of 10): $180: Pizza Party: Slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza, chips, water or lemonade $140: Hot Dog Safari: hot dog, chips, water or lemonade $80: Snack Pack: popcorn, cookies, water or lemonade Sodexo Live’s Full Menu is also available birthdays: ZNE Full Catering Menu

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ZOO BIRTHDAYS

• Zoo birthday party rentals are available for children turning 13 and under.
• Parties must be booked a minimum of three weeks in advance and are subject to availability.
• To ensure that pricing remains affordable, we do not offer private tours of the venues. We can provide you with any information you may need in making a venue selection.
• Your rental payment in full is due upon execution of your Birthday Agreement.
• All requests for additional admission tickets, enhancements and catering items must be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior and paid in full no later than one week prior to your party.
• All guests entering the Zoo for a birthday party must be included in your guest count, including the birthday child’s siblings and parents/chaperones.
• Party hosts do not need to purchase admission for children under the age of 2 or ZNE Members.
• There are no refunds for unused Zoo admission tickets.
• Any Zoo birthday admission cannot be rolled over to any day besides the day of the rental.
• Parties that arrive late cannot be extended beyond the time outlined in their Birthday Rental Agreement. We are usually fully booked and we need the time between parties to clean, sanitize and set up for the next party.
• Balloons, confetti, streamers and other items are prohibited on Zoo grounds for animal safety. The Zoo will provide you with a full list of Prohibited Items to help you plan the party.
• We do not have access to high chairs; if you need a high chair, please bring one with you.
• Party favors and goody bags are allowed as long as they do not contain any Prohibited Items. Please verify with us that your favors and goody bag/gift items are permitted before the party.
• A Mystery Animal Encounter is a 10-20 minute “meet and greet” with one of our Animal Ambassadors, who are living creatures deserving of respect, rest and care. Ambassadors may be unavailable for a party due to any number of circumstances, and we always put our animals’ health and well-being first. We label our meet and greets as “mystery” encounters to avoid any disappointment if the birthday child’s favorite animal may not be able to attend. We will share with you a list of the potentially available Ambassadors so that you can get a sense of the animal that may arrive for the party. Please note that there is no feeding or touching of any Ambassadors.
• All parties are held RAIN OR SHINE. We are open year-round under all weather conditions, except extreme conditions. If the Zoo closes for severe weather or safety issues, you may receive a full refund or reschedule your party (based on availability). Rain or light snow is not considered severe weather; please dress appropriately.
• ALL payments are non-refundable unless the Zoo decides to close for severe weather or safety issues. If the Zoo does NOT close for such reasons and you would like to reschedule your event, 48 hours’ notice is required. You will be able to reschedule (based on availability) up until one year of your original party date.
• You are welcome to bring your own birthday cake or cupcakes into the Zoo for your private party venue. Please note that we cannot accommodate cake deliveries in advance of your party.
• All HOT foods and beverages, with the exception of infant formula and reusable water bottles, must be purchased through the Zoo’s exclusive Concessionaire, Sodexo Live!
• Guests are welcome to make a donation to the Zoo addition to or in lieu of a birthday gifts.
• At the conclusion of the party, you will have 15 minutes to gather your belonging and leftover party supplies and vacate the Tent. The Tent is not a secured area and we cannot hold any personal belongings after your party. The Zoo will take care of all the cleanup.