On September 23 from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m., Brookfield Zoo’s East Mall will be full of activities celebrating Hispanic culture
From special zoo chats featuring animals native to Latin American countries to a variety of live entertainment and an art contest, there’s something for the entire family.
The event’s hosts, Cook County commissioners Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Luis Arroyo, Jr., will welcome attendees and introduce a series of musical entertainment, beginning with a performance from the Ecuadorian Embassy at 12:30 p.m. followed by Mariachi Tradicion Juvenil at 12:45 p.m. Members of the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance’s Latin Music Project Ensemble will take the stage at 1:30 p.m. and dancers with the Ballet Folklorico Sones Mexicanos will entertain guests at 2:15 p.m. Guitarist Ruben Amaro will conclude the day’s lineup at 3:00 p.m.
Families will have the opportunity to meet some of the zoo’s ambassador animals that are native to South America at 11:45 a.m. on the East Mall, and attend a 1:00 p.m. bilingual Dolphins in Action. In addition, there will be several animal zoo chats that feature the Orinoco crocodiles in The Swamp at noon, Mexican gray wolves at 2:30 p.m., and Humboldt penguins at 3:30 p.m. in The Living Coast.
Zoogoers can visit the event booths on the East Mall for information on the Latin American animal scavenger hunt and children’s art contest. Youngsters interested in participating in the latter are encouraged to bring in completed artwork or they can head to Hamill Family Play Zoo during the celebration to create a new masterpiece inspired by their favorite animals from Latin America. The winner will be announced at the end of the celebration and will receive a unique animal experience with Humboldt penguins at Brookfield Zoo for two people. The winning entry, along with other select entries, will be displayed in the offices of commissioners Arroyo and Garcia during Hispanic Heritage Month.
About the Chicago Zoological Society
The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Its Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare is at the forefront of animal care that strives to discover and implement innovative approaches to zoo animal management. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. Open every day of the year, the zoo is located at 8400 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and is also accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294),Metra commuter line, CTA, and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org.
