Contact:  Kyle Shepherd
kyle.shepherd@louisvilleky.gov
(O) 502-238-5331 (C) 502-744-5639   

Santa’s making a one-day stop at the Louisville Zoo on Saturday, December 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and he’s bringing enrichment treats for the animals with him!

At Santa’s Zoo Stop, guests can chat with St. Nick while staying warm in the Main Plaza Gift Shop. Children and the young at heart will also have an opportunity to write a letter for Santa to take back to the North Pole. Zoo docents will be nearby with animal ambassadors to meet. Those who adventure further into the Zoo will see some of their favorite animals engaging with special holiday-themed enrichment items customized just for them by Santa’s elves.

For an additional fee, guests can decorate cookies for $4.99 per cookie or 2 for $7.99 and grab a hot chocolate while in the Gift Shop for $3.99, or even enjoy freshly roasted s’mores for $4.99 each on the Main Plaza. For more information and a list of the animal enrichment visit www.louisvillezoo.org/santas-zoo-stop.

Once again, the Zoo is teaming up with Kroger and Dare to Care for Kroger Wild Winter Days to help struggling families in our community. Guests who bring at least one canned food item per person may purchase discounted tickets at the Zoo windows for $9.75 per adult and $6.75 per child/senior ticket.

Since this partnership began in 2009, the Zoo has collected nearly 27,000 pounds of food thanks to the generosity of our guests. That’s equivalent to the weight of two African elephants like Mikki!

Ho ho hurry to the Zoo for this special day of fun! The Wild Winter Days discount is available at the gate only and is not valid for online purchases. The offer is not good for special fee-based programs, prepaid groups, field trips, or with other discounts. No refunds will be provided for tickets prepaid in advance or purchased online. Multiple cans are appreciated but only one discount per admission; additional cans do not provide additional discounts.

The Zoo is open daily year-round. Fall/winter hours are 10 a.m. ─ 4 p.m. (stay until 5 p.m.). The Zoo is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

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Since 2011, under Mayor Fischer’s administration, the Louisville Zoo celebrated its 50th anniversary, opened nine new exhibits and attractions, and won national awards for Glacier Run and School at the Zoo. Considered Kentucky’s most popular not-for-profit paid attraction, the Zoo welcomed nearly 9 million guests in the last decade. In 2021, the Zoo was voted “Best Place to Take Kids in Summer,” by LEO Weekly, “Best Kid-Friendly Attraction” by Kentucky Living Magazine and Boo at the Zoo presented by Meijer made the Top 10 Halloween Festivals list by thetravel.com. Community Access Memberships, deep-discount days, the Future Healers Got Zoo Buddies partnership and the accessible playground are among prime efforts to make Louisville Zoo even safer, more engaging, and more inclusive. Among the Louisville Zoo’s most successful conservation programs, the black-footed ferret breeding effort produced 1,100 kits and repatriated more than 800 of these most highly endangered, American mammals to the wild.

The Louisville Zoo, the State Zoo of Kentucky, is the top, non-profit, paid attraction in the state. The Zoo is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

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