November 28 - December 20
Santa Breakfast, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

On Saturdays and Sundays, get in the holiday spirit with a scrumptious breakfast buffet at the zoo’s Rain Forest Food Pavilion, songs by the Dickens Carolers, a mini-performance of The Nutcracker by the Olympic Ballet and a magical visit with Santa. And, while you’re in the mood, head to the ZooStore for exceptional wildlife gifts and Holiday Zoobilee entertainment. Advance reservations and pre-payment required. Cost: In addition to zoo admission, $17.95 per person age 10 and over; $8.95 for children; free for kids 2 and under. For information and reservations, call (206) 684-4825. (Santa Breakfast for December 12 is sold out. For December 5 and 6 limited seating is available on a walk-in basis only.  Reservations are still available for December 13, 19 and 20.)

November 28 - December 20
Holiday Zoobilee, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the annual festival features Santa visits and photos in a beautiful Enchanted Forest setting, animal encounters, storytelling, music from around the globe, arts and crafts, and exceptional wildlife gifts at the ZooStore. Cost: Free with zoo admission. Santa photos are a bargain! One 5x7: $10.95; Two 5x7: $16.95; Three 5x7: $19.95; Five 5x7: $5 each. Event times may vary. For more information, call (206) 548-1535.

Zoobilee arts and crafts/musical entertainment schedule:

November 28-29 Country Trails, 11 a.m. - noon: traditional country western music and spirited instrumentals by this versatile trio.

December 5-6 Nancy Rudolph, noon - 1:30 p.m.: a demonstration of the art of paper mask making and book signing by the author of "Paper Animal Masks."

December 5 Bumayo, 11 a.m. - noon: a blend of African and Afro-Caribbean drum compositions with jazzy rifts on saxophone, trumpet, keyboard and marimba.

December 6 Washington Chinese Youth Orchestra, 11 a.m. - noon: a journey into the heart-soothing experience of Chinese music performed on traditional Chinese instruments.

December 12 Freylakh Klezmer Band, 11 a.m. - noon: the rich and varied repertoire of traditional and original klezmer tunes, and Hasidic music and songs of the Yiddish theatre.

December 13 ShirFun, 11 a.m. - noon: a broad field of musical styles and backgrounds performed in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Russian.

December 19-20 Troy de Roche, 11 a.m. - noon: traditional Native American flute music performed by one of the few authentic flute makers in the country.

Liz Campbell, 11 a.m. - noon: treasure bags for kids to take home crafted by Metis artist.

General Zoo Information

Adult (18-64) $8.50; Senior (65+) $7.75; Youth (6-17) and Disabled $6.00; Preschool (3-5) $3.75; Toddler (0-2) Free. King County residents: Adult (18-64) $7.50; Senior (65+) $6.75; Youth (6-17) and Disabled $5.25; Preschool (3-5) $3.25; Toddler (0-2) Free. Parking $3.50.

Zoo opens at 9:30 a.m. daily, 365 days of the year. Closes at 6:00 p.m. from March 15 through October 14. Closes at 4:00 p.m. from October 15 through March 14.

For general information, call (206) 684-4800 or 684-4026 (TDD). Or visit our Web site at www.zoo.org.