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CONTACT:      
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Public Relations
619-685-3291
Publicrelations@sdzwa.org

WEBSITE:     
sdzwa.org

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sdzwa.org/pr/WildHolidays-JungleBells

NEWS RELEASE
 

Celebrate the Season with Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo, and Wild Holidays at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

SAN DIEGO (Dec. 20, 2022) – The magic of the holiday season returns, with two events full of  wild fun for the whole family: Jungle Bells Proudly Supported by California Coast Credit Union at the San Diego Zoo, and Wild Holidays at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Both events will treat guests to a winter wonderland of twinkling lights, live entertainment, festive music and culinary delights, along with awe-inspiring wildlife experiences.

Jungle Bells Proudly Supported by California Coast Credit Union—at the San Diego Zoo

During Jungle Bells, the San Diego Zoo will be filled with spectacular seasonal sights and sounds—and this year marks the first time the all-new Wildlife Explorers Basecamp will be open for the festivities. The Zoo will stay open until 8 p.m. for Jungle Bells fun through January 1, 2023 (except for December 24, 2022, when the Zoo closes at 5 p.m. and no Jungle Bells activities are scheduled).

Entertainment highlights include the a cappella quartet The Tinseltones, sharing their unique arrangements of holiday classics and bringing a dusting of snow to create a winter wonderland. The Holiday Troubadour, a strolling acoustic guitarist and singer; and Jingle Brass, a brass  ensemble, will also play holiday favorites throughout each evening. The Front Street Toog Tree has been illuminated with lights choreographed to an original holiday song to entertain guests every 30 minutes each night of Jungle Bells.

Guests can follow the Holiday Forest pathway to trek through holiday décor and specially designed illuminated trees to visit polar bears and reindeer. Or take part in Reindeer Games, as kids of all ages experience the interactive fun of holiday games and dances that get them up on their feet and in the spirit. Visit Santa himself for a photo opportunity, or pose with his friendly helpers—Zoo characters Dr. Harry Lion, Churchill Polar Bear, Sydney Koala and all their friends.

The inimitable Dr. Zoolittle gets in the holiday spirit, telling his own zany, interactive version of the classic seasonal story: Dr. Zoolittle’s “One Wild Night Before Christmas.” During Toy Shop Hop, Santa’s acrobatic elves will show off their bouncing and high-flying holiday magic in an amazing display of skill and athleticism. Jack Frost will bring a magical winter chill to the air as he shows off his skills juggling snowballs and icicles. And between performances, guests can fuel up with an abundance of culinary delights at the Zoo’s many restaurants and food stands.

Zoo guests won’t want to miss the nightly magic of Aurora, the popular twice-per-night spectacular, weaving 3D projection mapping, music and lights to highlight the beauty of wind, water and ice. This year, guests can interact with the show by purchasing all-new Aurora Bubble Scepters, which glow and bubble during portions of each evening performance. For a special VIP experience, guests can make reservations for a delicious pre-show dinner at Albert's Restaurant and a reserved priority viewing area to watch the magic of Aurora.

The San Diego Zoo is once again welcoming California Coast Credit Union as the proud supporter of Jungle Bells 2022. With over 25 branches in Southern California, California Coast is the longest-serving financial institution in San Diego County, having been founded in 1929 by teachers.  

Jungle Bells activities are free with Zoo admission or membership. Parking is free. To learn more, visit sandiegozoo.org/junglebells.

Wild Holidays—at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

‘Tis the season! Wild Holidays invites guests to experience the wonders of the Safari Park with a special holiday twist. This year marks the Safari Park’s 50th anniversary, and that provides one more reason for a spectacular celebration.

Throughout the Safari Park, holiday tunes will set the mood. The Safari Park’s very own radio station returns with a mix of contemporary and traditional sounds of the season. In addition, the Holiday Troubadour, an acoustic musician, will encourage guests of all ages to sing along; and the violin duo Turtle Doves will play holiday favorites in a classical, symphonic style. Plus, fan-favorite traveling guitar and percussion performers Sweater Weather will entertain with acoustic renditions of festive holiday songs.

Guests can visit Santa, the jolly ol’ elf himself, for a photo through Christmas Day, before he travels back to the North Pole. On the way, they will encounter magnificent firefly stilt walkers, or they can join adventurer extraordinaire Safari Parker for interactive fun and surprises as he reads his original holiday story, “‘Twas the Night Before Wild Holidays.”

At Wild Holidays, the Safari Park is aglow with incredible light displays. Not only is the giant, 24-foot, themed holiday tree with wildlife decorations a must-see, but a variety of other trees light up, choreographed to custom holiday soundtracks in two different shows titled, “Light Up the Holidays.” Guests can take an expedition through the musical and magical lighted archway Bridge of Lights, check out the Forest of Color, see the Baja Gardens in a whole new light, or journey down the Nairobi Lantern Walk. The specially designed, beautifully decorated areas of the Park make the perfect setting for a family photo. 

Celebrate the holiday season and commemorate 50 years of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park with a memorable evening presentation at Enchanted Lagoon, titled “Reflections: Our Moment.” During this colorful spectacle, floating, flickering lanterns dance in a choreographed celebration to an original world music soundtrack.

Wild Holidays is scheduled December 17–23 and 26–31, 2022; and January 1, 2023. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. during this event, with Wild Holidays festivities beginning at 4 p.m.

Wild Holidays activities are free with Safari Park admission or membership. Parking is $15 per vehicle; $20 per RV. Vehicle parking is free for members at Wildlife Protector and higher membership levels. To learn more, visit sdzsafaripark.org/wild-holidays.

Holiday Gift Guide

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for that special someone? San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has a variety of unexpected gifts to please anyone on your list—and when you give a gift from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, you’re also giving back by supporting wildlife conservation. Each time you visit the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Safari Park, purchase an item, or share what you know about wildlife and conservation, you take another step toward achieving the Alliance’s mission of saving animals and plants around the globe, and creating a world where all life thrives. This holiday season, you can shop with a purpose. Shoppers who can’t visit the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park to pick up these one-of-a-kind items can find them online at shopzoo.com. 

The holidays are a special time, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance membership makes a truly special gift—a full year of discovery and inspiration at two remarkable wildlife parks: the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Memberships are offered at various levels, providing a wide range of benefits and options for year-round admission. Whichever membership level you select, you can feel great knowing that you are connecting loved ones with wildlife, and empowering them to help protect and save species. Every membership saves wildlife. For more information on giving the gift of membership, visit zoomember.org/gift. 
 

Rose Parade

On January 2, 2023, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance will participate in the 134th Rose Parade® presented by Honda with a float celebrating the Safari Park’s 50th anniversary. The Safari Park opened in 1972 and since the beginning, saving species has been a key part of the Safari Park’s mission. The Safari Park has played a huge role in the conservation of species ranging from condors and hornbills to rhinos and elephants. With its theme, “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation,” the float depicts rhinos, giraffes, and the Safari Park’s iconic Wildlife Safari experience, and brings to life the Safari Park’s ability to connect guests with wildlife and create life-changing moments.

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About San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance 
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit international conservation leader, committed to inspiring a passion for nature and working toward a world where all life thrives. The Alliance empowers people from around the globe to support their mission to conserve wildlife through innovation and partnerships. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports cutting-edge conservation and brings the stories of their work back to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park—giving millions of guests, in person and virtually, the opportunity to experience conservation in action. The work of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance extends from San Diego to eco-regional conservation “hubs” across the globe, where their expertise and assets—including the renowned Wildlife Biodiversity Bank—are able to effectively align with hundreds of regional partners to improve outcomes for wildlife in more coordinated efforts. By leveraging these skills in wildlife care and conservation science, and through collaboration with hundreds of partners, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has reintroduced more than 44 endangered species to native habitats. Each year, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s work reaches over 1 billion people in 150 countries via news media, social media, their websites, educational resources and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers television programming, which is in children’s hospitals in 13 countries. Success is made possible by the support of members, donors and guests to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, who are Wildlife Allies committed to ensuring all life thrives.