Just in time to break up the extreme gray blahs of February comes a most regal event -- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's second annual Fairytales & Frogs party!
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, February 21 in The RainForest. All kids younger than 12 get FREE admission to the Zoo and The RainForest for the day and everyone is encouraged to come dressed as a princess, prince or frog. Guests are also encouraged to bring an old cell phone to the Box Office as part of one of the Zoo's ongoing conservation projects. Usable phones are refurbished and unusable phones are recycled, with funds going to support conservation and recycling projects.
Let The RainForest's 80-degree temperatures hold off winter's chill while you learn about the importance of frogs in the world's ecosystem and the unique role they play in fairytales and stories throughout history.
Visitors also will have the chance to meet the Zoo's larger-than-life frog mascots and even a princess! There will be Get Close encounters with real frogs, a chance to separate amphibian fact from fiction with the keepers, crafts, stories and an interactive life-size "Frogger" game that illustrates the dangers frogs face in the wild from pollution, climate change and habitat loss.
Visitors also can see more than a dozen species of frogs, many of them endangered, on exhibit in The RainForest along with a gharial and plenty of other reptiles, turtles and snakes.
So shine up your tiara and your glass slippers, practice your princely wave or work on your frog jump and get ready for some serious amphibian fun.
Adult residents of Cuyahoga County (with proper ID) will receive discount admission to The RainForest and free admission to the Zoo, following regular Monday admission rates. Out-of-county residents can also enjoy reduced winter admission to the Zoo and The RainForest. For additional pricing information, visit clemetzoo.com or call (216) 661-6500.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Discounted winter admission through March 31 is $7 per person, $5 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for children younger than 2 and Zoo members. Parking is free. Located at 3900 Wildlife Way, the Zoo is easily accessible from Interstates 71, 77, 90 and 480.