Special Events and Programs
FONZ provides financial support and augments government funding for the National Zoo, and educates and inspires the public about the need to conserve wildlife and wild lands. These ambitious goals are achieved in part through annual FONZ events, including:
African-American Family Celebration
(April)
Easily the longest running annual event held at the National
Zoo, African-American Family Celebration has been hosted
at the Zoo for about a century. Hundreds of families attend
the free event held each Easter Monday. Visitors enjoy
Easter-egg hunts, a variety of live music, storytelling,
animal demonstrations, dance performances, African drumming,
and much more.
more
ZooFari (May)
Since its inception in 1983, ZooFari has become one of the
premier events in Washington, D.C. Each year, 100 of the D.C.
area’s finest restaurants are in attendance, as well
as wineries from around the world. Live music, animal demonstrations,
a sweepstakes, and a silent auction are also included. Proceeds
from Guppy Gala and ZooFari benefit Zoo projects and initiatives.
more
Fiesta Musical (September)
Held one day a year during Hispanic Heritage Month, FONZ’s
Fiesta Musical is a celebration of Latin American culture.
It features a variety of family-oriented cultural activities,
live music and dance performances, and a food court. An annual
D.C. tradition for more than ten years, Fiesta Musical draws
about 20,000 people. more
Boo at the Zoo (October)
Children of all ages are invited to celebrate Halloween at
the Zoo by trick-or-treating in animal houses, collecting
candy from costumed volunteers, and walking along haunted
trails. This popular event regularly sells out weeks in advance,
and is a fun and safe way for kids and families to enjoy the
holiday.
more
In addition to these annual celebrations, Friends of the National Zoo hosts a wide variety of ongoing programs for FONZ members and nonmembers alike, such as:
Snore & Roar
Snore & Roar is FONZ's always-popular Zoo sleepover program.
Campers are treated to a private tour of an animal house
or exhibit
area and a flashlight tour of the Zoo, and then camp out
on Lion/Tiger Hill—to be awakened in the morning by
the roars of the lions and the whooping gibbons. FONZ offers
about 60 Snore & Roar sleepovers each year from April through
September.
more
Events for Young Professionals
One of FONZ's newest membership options, the Young Professionals program offers many exciting opportunities to young
professional adults, including: classes at the Zoo, outdoor
adventures,
trips to exotic locales all over the world, and After Hours events featuring live
music, dancing, free snacks, and a cash bar.
more
FONZ Summer Camp
Friends of the National Zoo offers both day and
overnight camp experiences for kids. Held at the National
Zoo, the Summer Safari Day Camp features week-long sessions
for children in grades K-5 and offers programs covering a
range of wildlife and conservation topics. The
FONZ
Nature Camp is a week-long overnight camp for children
in
grades 5-8. It is held at the National Zoo's Conservation
and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia. Each year,
more than 1,100 children participate in FONZ's day and overnight
camps. FONZ Summer Camps are available to FONZ Household Members
only. more
Classes, Lectures,
and Certificate Programs
FONZ offers a variety of educational activities
throughout the year for children and
adults, including classes
and workshops.
They cover
a
wide range of fascinating environmental topics, such as:
how animals survive winter's chill, the relationship between
predator and prey, and what scientists have learned about
animal cognition. More than 15,000
people attend FONZ classes
and workshops each year. Children's classes and activities
are a benefit of FONZ Household Membership.
more
FONZ and the Zoo also offer lectures throughout
the year given by experts in many diverse fields. All lectures
are free and are held in the evenings in the Zoo's Visitor
Center Auditorium. Lectures are often given by Zoo scientists
and staff, and many feature authors who have written about
giant pandas, gorillas, North American birds, and
a host of other creatures, as well as issues faced by those
woking to preserve wildlife and wild lands.
more
The Wildlife Studies Certificate
Program was established
by FONZ and the National Zoo in
response to continued public interest in a regular coursework
series.
Wildlife Studies Certificates are awarded to FONZ members
and other interested individuals who complete a minimum of
six courses in the Certificate series. Each course is taught
by a FONZ or Zoo staff member expert in their field.
more
