Paignton Zoo to end Centenary year with a bang

Paignton Zoo has announced that they will be closing out their Centenary year with the return of the Big Birthday ZOOnanza – a one-day extravaganza to commemorate the zoo’s 101st birthday.

Last year, the charity celebrated their 100th birthday with their first ever ZOOnanza, with visitors from near and far joining the zoo for a memorable weekend of fun and festivities. The zoo have announced that because feedback was so overwhelmingly positive, they will be bringing back the ZOOnanza for their 101st birthday due to popular demand.

Katie White, Paignton Zoo’s Events and Corporate Relationship Manager, has been diligently planning the event. She commented:

“We’re incredibly excited to bring back the ZOOnanza to celebrate our 101st birthday in June. We are so grateful to our community, local businesses, artists, and bands for their support in putting together what was our biggest party ever last year, and we can’t wait to do it all over again!”

This year, the ZOOnanza is scheduled for Sunday, 30 June 2024, and the day will be brimming with activities for all ages. This will include live music, activities, storytelling, animal enrichment making, and more.

Adults can enjoy live music at the Island Restaurant, featuring performances from the musical duo Bellever, vintage vocalist Terrie-May McNulty, Choir 86, and Denise Waterman from the 80’s pop band Tight Fit. The day will conclude with a special performance of the UK No.1 hit ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’.

Hyped Events will also be inviting visitors to enjoy a game of inflatable mini golf or inflatable curling. There will also be animal talks hosted throughout the day, as well as an activity station where visitors can create animal enrichment items.

For the younger guests, there will be storytelling sessions with Luke Marchant, author of The Narzat, which includes a character inspired by our very own gorilla Pertinax. Luke will also be signing copies of his book in our gift shop. Paignton Zoo will also be hosting craft workshops, run by Little Squirrels, which will keep little hands busy. The Cameron Mills Group will also be back with The Rock Project – a music workshop for ages 6+.

The zoo have stated that they are expecting a full house for this event, and have advised that visitors pre-book their tickets as soon as possible to avoid missing out.