For Immediate Release
Contact: Mercede New (904) 757-4463 ext. 211
Gina Stiles (904) 757-4463 ext. 210

Enjoy a “Winter Break” Festival at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

December 19, 2008 – Jacksonville, FL –  Join us at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for “Winter Break”, the third annual festival that rings in the New Year with sounds of music from around the world.  On December 26 - 30 and January 1 - 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., kids can enjoy an inflatable slide, bounce houses, animal encounters, prize drawings, crafts and live entertainment performing music from around the world.  An entertainment schedule is posted on the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ website at www.jacksonvillezoo.org.  Winter Break is sponsored by Winn Dixie.

On Wednesday, December 31st, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will also be hosting Radio Disney AM 600’s 5th Annual Noon Year’s Eve.  Join Radio Disney as they count down the hours until 2009 with help from Olympic gold medalist Shannon Miller, games and prizes and an apple juice toast at 12 noon.  Noisemakers and hat giveaways will add to the excitement!  Winter Break, including Radio Disney’s Noon Year’s Eve, is free with regular admission to the Zoo.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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