Summer is wrapping up with ZOObrew, animal awareness days, and a visit from Clifford the Big Red Dog.

 

THROUGH LABOR DAY, SEPTEMBER 1: ZOOFRIENDS MEMBERS ONLY EARLY MORNINGS

ZOOfriends members can get an early start with an extra half hour of Oklahoma City Zoo time through Labor Day, Monday, September 1, 2025. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. daily for ZOOfriends members with proof of a current membership passport. The Zoo will open for all other guests at 9 a.m. The membership office in the entry plaza will be open for guests to purchase or renew ZOOfriends memberships, which can also be purchased online at www.okczoo.org/membership.

 

AUGUST 1-31: JOIN THE OKC ZOO IN CELEBRATING ASIAN ELEPHANT AWARENESS MONTH

August is Asian Elephant Awareness Month and the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden encourages elephant fans to join this global movement to bring attention to the plight Asian elephants are facing and inspire the public to take conservation action through a social media campaign, #AsianElephantAwarenessMonth. The OKC Zoo is proud to partner with Association of Zoos and Aquariums and its SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction Asian Elephant program to raise awareness of these beloved and endangered animals. This August, follow the OKC Zoo socials @okczoo to learn how you can help Asian elephant and express your care for these beloved animals! And save the date for the Zoo’s World Elephant Day celebration on Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1: OKC ZOO HOSTS OVERNIGHT FOCUSING ON GIRAFFES AND HOOFSTOCK!

Make it a dream come Zoo with a safari sleepover at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Public overnights are designed for multiple families ages 5 and older. Get ready to rise to new heights and hoof it through a night of wild fun with the Zoo’s “Giraffe and Hoofstock Safari” overnight from 6:45 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday, August 1, 2025. Join the Zoo’s education team for a sleepover where giraffes and their hoofed friends take center stage with fun hoofstock facts, an enrichment activity, and private night and morning Zoo hikes. The cost for each participant is $55. All children must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the program. Sign up at okczoo.org/private-overnights.

 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2: OKC ZOO HOSTS WORLD ELEPHANT DAY ACTIVITIES FROM 9:30 A.M. TO NOON

Elephants never forget and you shouldn’t forget elephants, especially when the Oklahoma City Zoo celebrates World Elephant Day on Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Head to the Zoo’s elephant habitat in Sanctuary Asia for caretaker chats, enrichment events, and a variety of Asian elephant games including Foraging for Food, a Meet the Herd matching game, and an elephant personality quiz. There will also be a special elephant presentation at 2 p.m. in the Inasmuch Elephant Pavilion at Sanctuary Asia. There’s another big reason to celebrate, as this is baby Asian elephant Xerxes’ first World Elephant Day. The Oklahoma Zoological Society is joining the festivities with opportunities to support elephant conservation. Fans can adopt an elephant plush for $25 and purchase custom canvas totes painted by the Zoo’s elephants for $30 each with proceeds benefitting the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Asian Elephant SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction program. Go big and bundle both, a plush and tote, for a $50 donation! World Elephant Day activities are free with regular admission.

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15: OKC ZOO’S HAUNT THE ZOO TICKETS ON SALE

It’s baa-aack! Oklahoma City’s favorite Halloween tradition, Haunt the Zoo, presented by News 9, returns for its 42nd year at the Oklahoma City Zoo. This annual trick-or-treat event runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in October and, this year only, a special night of Haunt the Zoo trick-or-treating on Halloween, Friday, October 31, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Haunt the Zoo bags are $9 for ZOOfriends members ($10 for non-members) and include 15 candy tents and 14 photo stops throughout the Zoo. The Halloween night event, October 31, will also include a dance party, costume contest, scavenger hunt, and animal ambassador presentation. The sweetest part of Haunt the Zoo, $1 from each event bag sold benefits one of the Zoo’s conservation initiatives. Haunt the Zoo bags are available for purchase in the Guest Services office in the Zoo’s entry plaza. Find more information online at www.okczoo.org.

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15: LIGHTS OUT OKLAHOMA

Each fall, hundreds of millions of butterflies, songbirds, and waterfowl migrate to and through Oklahoma via the central flyway. Do your part to keep their journeys safe by turning out or dimming unnecessary lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. from August 15 through November 30. The Oklahoma City Zoo is a partner of the Oklahoma Animal Coalition and proud to support LIGHTS OUT OKLAHOMA to raise awareness for migratory birds and the impact light pollution has on their populations. Bright lights can interfere with migrators using the stars and the moon to navigate, sometimes with disastrous results. Save money and save wildlife by ending light pollution. Learn more at okczoo.org/lightsout.

 

SEPTEMBER: OKC ZOO PARTNERS WITH CURBSIDE CHRONICLE TO OFFER FREE ZOO ADMISSION TICKET

OKC’s beloved and award-winning street paper, the Curbside Chronicle, is bringing back its popular Zoo issue for 2025! The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden has partnered with the Curbside Chronicle to offer a free Zoo general admission ticket in the magazine’s September issue. This special “Zoo” issue will be available the month of September for a $2 suggested donation from Curbside vendors throughout the metro area. To redeem your Curbside Chronicle voucher for admission to the OKC Zoo present it at the Zoo’s ticket window upon arrival. Vouchers valid through December 31, 2025.

 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4: TICKETS ON SALE FOR ZOOBREW, PRESENTED BY BYRON’S LIQUOR WAREHOUSE

Good times, good brews! Over the past 17 years, ZOObrew has become one of the OKC Zoo’s biggest events, welcoming thousands of ticketholders as well as breweries, wineries, and distilleries to raise money for conservation programs. This year’s ZOObrew, presented by Byron’s Liquor Warehouse, will be Friday, September 26, 2025, and it promises to be the biggest yet. ZOObrew is a 21-and-older event including a variety of tastings from breweries in and around Oklahoma, as well as other libations and non-alcoholic beverages. PREbrew, from 4 to 6 p.m., includes early entry to the event, unlimited samplings, access to the VIP Lounge, a limited-edition shirt, exclusive animal engagements, and carousel rides for $130/person. PREbrew tickets are limited. ZOObrew general admission tickets are $75/person including event access, unlimited samplings and carousel rides. Proceeds from ZOObrew will support primate conservation efforts. The Zoo will close at 1 p.m., last entry at noon, on Friday, September 26 in preparation for ZOObrew. To purchase PREbrew and ZOObrew tickets and additional event details, visit www.ozsgiving.org/zoobrew.

ZOObrew Volunteer Opportunities: Tap into your wild side and volunteer to help with ZOObrew on Friday, September 26. Volunteers must be 21 or older. Register to volunteer for this and other events at okczoo.org/volunteer.

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6: OUR BLOOD INSTITUTE BLOOD DRIVE

Save a life, see the Zoo! The OKC Zoo is encouraging the community to sign up for Our Blood Institute (OBI’s) blood drive on Saturday, September 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Register in advance to schedule your time or show up when you can and help boost OBI’s blood supply for the busy fall season ahead. Donors that participate in the drive will receive a general admission voucher to the OKC Zoo, which may be used through the end of the year. The Zoo will be hosting this blood drive at its Education Center located at the east end of the parking lot. To make an appointment visit www.obi.org. 

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6: OKC ZOO HOSTS WORLD PRIMATE DAY ACTIVITIES FROM 9:30 A.M. TO NOON

Find out what makes great apes so great when the OKC Zoo celebrates World Primate Day on Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Swing over to The Great EscApe for activities highlighting the chimpanzees and Western lowland gorillas who call the Zoo home. Learn more about primates with games, caretaker chats, and special animal enrichments. Oklahoma Zoological Society will be doing primate adoptions. Those who donate $25 will receive a gorilla plush. World Primate Day activities are free with regular admission.

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6: OKC ZOO HOSTS CARNIVORES GALORE OVERNIGHT

Get ready for a wild night of fun and learning during the Carnivores Galore overnight at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Public overnights are designed for multiple families ages 5 and older. Spend the night learning about nature's fiercest predators! From big cats to dwarf mongoose, predators come in all shapes and sizes. Enjoy fun carnivore facts, an enrichment activity, and private night and morning Zoo hikes. The event runs from 6:45 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 6, 2025. The cost for each participant is $55. All children must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the program. Sign up at okczoo.org/private-overnights.

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13: CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG VISITS THE OKC ZOO, 9 AM TO 3 PM

Beloved children’s book character, cartoon, and film star Clifford the Big Red Dog comes to the Oklahoma City Zoo to meet his fans. The OKC Zoo and Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA) are excited to host this special meet-and-greet with PBS KIDS’ character Clifford the Red Dog on Saturday, September 13, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Everyone will be howling with excitement with photo opportunities and educational activities aimed at kids ages 11 and under, taking place in the Zoo’s Love’s Pachyderm Building. Regular Zoo admission is required, while the OETA-sponsored activities are free and open to all ages. Find additional information and registration details on OETA (@oetaok) and the Zoo’s (@okczoo) socials.

 

ONGOING: OKC ZOO’S STATEWIDE LIBRARY PROGRAM, READ FOR ADVENTURE BEGINS FOR ANOTHER SEASON

Across the state, public libraries will begin the 2025-2026 Read for Adventure season on Monday, June 2. Library card holders who check out the original children’s book, Juniper’s Butterfly Garden—A Small Start for a Better World, from participating Oklahoma public or tribal libraries will receive a voucher redeemable for free general admission to the OKC Zoo for up to four people (child, adult, or senior). The program’s feature book conveys the story of a child’s passion and determination to help butterflies by creating a pollinator habitat. Readers will find resources in the back of the book about planting a garden for monarchs and other pollinators at home, providing vital habitat for monarchs along their migratory path through Oklahoma.  Since the program began eight years ago, more than 70,000 Oklahomans have had the opportunity to visit the Zoo at no cost. For additional details about Read for Adventure, including a downloadable coloring page and list of participating libraries, visit www.okczoo.org/readforadventure.

 

ONGOING: SUMMER SHOWS AT THE ZOO AMPHITHEATRE

Oklahoma City’s wildest venue, The Zoo Amphitheatre, is rocking away the summer with a lineup of can’t-miss concerts. Visit okczooamp.com for more information and tickets. August and September show lineup:

  • Friday, August 1 – Grateful Shred
  • Friday, August 15 – Brantley Gilbert
  • Sunday, August 17 – TOTO, Men At Work, Christopher Cross
  • Wednesday, August 20 – Big Time Rush
  • Sunday, August 24 – Teddy Swims
  • Thursday, September 4 – Pixies, Spoon, Fazerdazer
  • Saturday, September 6 – Nelly
  • Wednesday, September 10 – Lauren Daigle
  • Thursday, September 11 – Goo Goo Dolls and Dashboard Confessional
  • Saturday, September 20 – Leon Bridges and Charlie Crockett
  • Thursday, September 25 – Jon Pardi
  • Friday, September 26 – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
  • Saturday, September 27 – Charlie Wilson, Babyface, K-Ci, El DeBarge

 

ONGOING: SUMMER ATTRACTION HOURS THROUGH MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2025

All activities are dependent on weather and animal participation

  • Scooter Pals: Take a ride on the wild side with the OKC Zoo’s new Scooter Pals. This new mobile entertainment opportunity is a fun way for guests 16 and older to explore the park. Scooter Pals are animal themed and available to rent daily weather permitting, located in the Zoo’s entry plaza. Cost is $5 activation fee, $0.35/minute. 
  • Primrose Schools Children’s Zoo Barnyard: The Primrose Schools Barnyard is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Elephant Express Tram: Take the tram for a relaxing, informative tour of the Zoo. Rides offered daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All day bracelets are $6 per person. Children two and under ride free with paid adult admission.
  • Endangered Species Carousel: Carousel rides are available daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $4 per person.
  • Explorikeet Feedings: These feathered favorites are waiting to meet you from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Cost is $4 per person. Participants under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
  • Virtual Reality Wildlife Experiences: Guests can experience two different and immersive encounters with wildlife with the help of virtual reality. Gorilla Trek VR presents the life of gorillas in the Rwandan jungle and The Great Migration VR puts guests among African wildlife on their annual migratory journey. Each experience offers 360-degree live-action virtual reality film with surround sound and motion! Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $8 per person. A combination ticket is $12.
  • Rhino Feedings:  Discover this memorable experience with one of the largest residents at the Zoo – an Indian rhino! Feeding opportunities available weekends (Thurs.–Sun.) from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at Sanctuary Asia. Cost is $10 per person. Children age 2 and under are not permitted.
  • Stingray Bay: Stingray Bay provides up-close encounters and feeding opportunities with one of the most majestic creatures of the sea, stingrays! Participants under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a paying adult. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $4 per person to enter. Feeding opportunities are available from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. daily, while supplies last, for an additional $4 per person.
  • Flamingo Mingle: Flock to the Flamingo Mingle feeding daily from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $5 per person. Children age 2 and under are not permitted.
  • Giraffe Feeding: Feed our tallest friends during the Giraffe Feeding daily from 11 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. from May 25 to June 29, Independence Day (July 4), and Labor Day (September 1). Starting June 30 through September 1, feedings are 11 a.m. to noon daily and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Cost is $5 per person.
  • Camel Rides: Camel rides are available at the OKC Zoo from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Cost is $10 per person. Children under 6 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Visit the OKC Zoo’s SmartParks page for time changes, closures, added events, and more at map.okczoo.org.

 

ONGOING: CARETAKER CHATS

Caretaker chats are free with Zoo admission. Learn about the members of the Zoo’s animal family from the people who care for them.

  • African Hoofstock (rotates throughout Baobab Plaza animals) Daily, 10 a.m.
  • Asian Elephants (Sanctuary Asia) Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m.
  • Dwarf Mongoose (Love's Pachyderm), Friday - Sunday, 11 a.m.
  • Vet Talk (Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital) Daily, 11:30 a.m.
  • Lungfish (Love's Pachyderm) Thursday-Tuesday, 1:30 p.m.
  • Flamingos (Children's Zoo pres. by Primrose Schools) Daily, 3 p.m.
  • Apes (Great EscApe) Daily, 3:30 p.m.

 

The Oklahoma City Zoo’s regular daytime hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry at 4 p.m. Now through Labor Day, ZOOfriends members can enter early at 8:30 a.m. to beat the heat. Avoid the entry lines and purchase advance Zoo admission tickets online at okczoo.org/tickets. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District.

 

Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. Zoo more with a ZOOfriends membership! As a ZOOfriends member of the Oklahoma City Zoo, enjoy free admission for 12-months, plus additional benefits and discounts. You will also be supporting the Zoo’s animal family, education programming, and conservation initiatives both locally and globally. Join or renew today at www.okczoo.org/membership.