Community Events

Zoo Atlanta is home to a diversity of species of reptiles and amphibians from around the globe. From some of the smallest frogs to the most endangered lizards, join the Herpetology Care Team and immerse yourself in the science behind caring for reptiles and amphibians behind-the-scenes at Scaly Slimy Spectacular!

From some of the smallest frogs to the most endangered lizards, join the Herpetology Care Team and immerse yourself in the science behind caring for reptiles and amphibians behind-the-scenes at Scaly Slimy Spectacular!

Learn firsthand the level of care that is required to care for these unique and important species. Participants can expect to meet members of the Animal Care Team, meet an animal, learn about our positive reinforcement training and enrichment programs, and walk away with knowledge of how to save species. All participation in Keeper for a Day programs is voluntary for the animals. If you love these scaly and slimy creatures, this program is just for you! 

Before registering, please understand that during this program: 

• Participants will perform similar tasks as members of the Herpetology Care Team, which may include raking, sweeping, hosing, scrubbing, and shoveling, and should expect to do some hard work and be comfortable getting dirty. 
• Participants will be expected to participate in all weather conditions, lift up to 30 pounds, and be on their feet for up to four hours. 
• Participants must have the physical ability to bend, lift, stoop, kneel, and stand for extended periods of time. 
• Participants may be exposed to potential allergens such as insects, hay, animal waste, and other potential allergens. Please reach out in advance if you have any questions or concerns. 

Upcoming 2026 Dates:

Saturday, August 15
Wednesday, August 26
Saturday, September 5
Wednesday, September 23
Saturday, October 3
Wednesday, October 21
Wednesday, November 4
Saturday, November 21
Wednesday, December 9
Saturday, December 19

Times: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Age range: 16 and up

This show will feature historic quilts from Carroll County and more recent works created by current residents. It will also feature bedspreads designed by Bruce Bobick for the Disney All Star Hotels in 1994.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS ONCE YOU GET LOST! 

Wind your way through this twisting, climbing, head-scratching interactive exhibit that’ll challenge the whole family from the very first step. 

Can your eyes actually lie to you? Find out in the Maze of Illusions where nothing is what it seems. Think you’re coordinated? Climb, duck, and try not to get completely tangled in the Web Maze. Feeling ambitious? Build your own maze from scratch, then dare others to solve it.  

From giant finger mazes to brain-busting puzzle tables, art you can touch, and a labyrinth library, there are surprises to be found round every single corner.

Washington Farms is a family-friendly agritourism farm with lots of fun activities for people of all ages! You can pick your own pumpkins and flowers, get lost in the corn maze, stroll through the petting zoo, zoom down the Mega Slide, jump on the jumping pillows, cheer on at the pig races, enjoy a wagon ride around the farm, and so much more!!! Visit our website for hours, pricing, and a complete list of activities! 

For hours, pricing, and a complete list of activities, visit http://www.washingtonfarms.net   

See y'all at the farm!

Join the team at the Zambezi Elephant Center and immerse yourself in what it takes to care for the largest land animals on the planet! Spend the morning working alongside the Elephant Care Team to prepare the habitat for the day and ensure the elephants’ needs are met.

Spend the morning working alongside the Elephant Care Team to prepare the habitat for the day and ensure the elephants’ needs are met.

This unique experience is sure to educate and inspire you about these special individuals, help you learn more about the rigorous requirements of professional elephant care, and gain an understanding of the ways Zoo Atlanta is working to protect wild populations. Participants can expect to meet members of the Animal Care Team, meet an animal, learn about our positive reinforcement training and enrichment programs, and walk away with knowledge of how to save species. All participation in Keeper for a Day programs is voluntary for the animals.

Before registering, please understand that during this program: 

• Participants will perform similar tasks as members of the Elephant Care Team, which may include raking, sweeping, hosing, scrubbing, and shoveling, and should expect to do some hard work and be comfortable getting dirty. 
• Participants will be expected to participate in all weather conditions, lift up to 30 pounds, and be on their feet for up to four hours. 
• Participants must have the physical ability to bend, lift, stoop, kneel, and stand for extended periods of time. 
• Participants may be exposed to potential allergens such as insects, hay, animal waste, and other potential allergens. Please reach out in advance if you have any questions or concerns. 

Upcoming 2026 Dates:

Saturday, August 22
Thursday, September 3
Sunday, September 20
Sunday, October 4
Thursday, October 15
Thursday, November 5
Sunday, November 15
Thursday, December 3
Sunday, December 20
 

Times: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Member cost: $325
Non-member cost: $360

Age range: 16 and up

This show will feature historic quilts from Carroll County and more recent works created by current residents. It will also feature bedspreads designed by Bruce Bobick for the Disney All Star Hotels in 1994.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS ONCE YOU GET LOST! 

Wind your way through this twisting, climbing, head-scratching interactive exhibit that’ll challenge the whole family from the very first step. 

Can your eyes actually lie to you? Find out in the Maze of Illusions where nothing is what it seems. Think you’re coordinated? Climb, duck, and try not to get completely tangled in the Web Maze. Feeling ambitious? Build your own maze from scratch, then dare others to solve it.  

From giant finger mazes to brain-busting puzzle tables, art you can touch, and a labyrinth library, there are surprises to be found round every single corner.

Independent cinema finds a home this fall at the 23rd Annual Rome International Film Festival (RIFF).

Transforming historic downtown Rome, Georgia, into an intimate gathering place for global artists and film lovers, the four-day festival showcases groundbreaking narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and animation. Anchored at the historic DeSoto Theatre on Broad Street, RIFF offers unforgettable film blocks, industry panels, and community connection.

Individual screening tickets and weekend passes are available online. Learn more at www.riffga.com.

Washington Farms is a family-friendly agritourism farm with lots of fun activities for people of all ages! You can pick your own pumpkins and flowers, get lost in the corn maze, stroll through the petting zoo, zoom down the Mega Slide, jump on the jumping pillows, cheer on at the pig races, enjoy a wagon ride around the farm, and so much more!!! Visit our website for hours, pricing, and a complete list of activities! 

For hours, pricing, and a complete list of activities, visit http://www.washingtonfarms.net   

See y'all at the farm!

First Friday in Historic Downtown Brunswick is a fun family event that happens the first Friday of each month. We close the streets from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. so you can come down and enjoy live music, special discounts from downtown merchants, a car show and so much more! Come shop, dine and explore our downtown!

Spend the night at Zoo Atlanta with your school or group at a NightCrawler Overnight.

2026 DATES:
· September 26
· October: 2, 9, 10
· November 6

2027 DATES:
· February 26
· March: 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26
· April: 16, 23
· May: 7, 8, 14, 21

Times: 6 p.m. until 9:30 a.m. the next morning

Cost: $110

CAPACITY: Minimum of 20 – Maximum of 120

Embark on a nocturnal adventure you won’t soon forget!

When the last guest leaves for the day, we invite you to stay! Come find out what really happens when the sun goes down. Which animals stay up late and how do others settle down for the night? And in the morning, how do animals greet the day? Join us as we explore these questions and more on an overnight adventure designed for schools, Scouts, and other groups.

Participants will spend the majority of the evening outdoors walking around the Zoo with an Educator as their guide, stopping along the way to observe the nocturnal behaviors of the animals who call the Zoo home. During the evening, participants will have the opportunity to use night vision technology and will visit Scaly Slimy Spectacular to discover the nocturnal world of frogs, lizards, snakes, and turtles.

Participants will also enjoy a guided tour behind the scenes to discover how we care for animals every day. Learn about our new state-of-the-art veterinary complex, The Rollins Animal Health Center, and tour the Animal Nutrition Kitchen to find out what it takes to feed the Zoo! After an evening of exploration, participants will sleep in indoor, climate-controlled rooms with sleeping bags brought from home. And then rise and shine for more fun! Enjoy a catered continental breakfast from Proof of the Pudding followed by morning visits to animal habitats to see how our Animal Care Specialists help the animals start their day. 

If you are looking for additional opportunities to connect with wildlife up-close, you can register your group for a 9 a.m. Animal Encounter for an additional fee. This encounter includes an exclusive 30-minute talk with a Zoo Educator and a visit with two to three small animal ambassadors before the conclusion of your NightCrawlers program.

Participating groups are invited to stay and enjoy the Zoo at completion of your program!

WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT DURING A NIGHTCRAWLER?

Rain or shine. This program happens rain or shine, and much of the program is outside. Please plan for the weather and dress accordingly.

The Zoo is made for walking! Most of this experience is spent walking around the Zoo, and there are multiple irregular surfaces and steep inclines. Plan to spend up to 5 hours on your feet touring the Zoo.

Come with a full belly. While we will take a break for a snack in the middle of the evening, please eat dinner before you arrive. And remember to bring your water bottle with you.

Embrace the dark. It’s called a NightCrawler for a reason. Explore the Zoo by the light of the moon and our Educators’ red-light flashlights. Guests may only use flashlights at bedtime.

Rustic camping meets the Zoo. All sleeping locations are in climate-controlled buildings with a restroom either in the building or nearby.

Stay awhile. At the completion of your program the following morning, you are welcome to stay and enjoy the Zoo at your leisure.

Have FUN! This unique experience is unlike anything that you can do in Atlanta. We look forward to hosting you for an upcoming program!

Age Range: 6+

This program is designed for groups with children. A paid adult must accompany child(ren), and a paid child must accompany adult(s).

IF YOU’VE YEARNED TO GET CLOSER TO THE ANIMALS, NOW YOU CAN WITH A WILD ENCOUNTER!

No creature looms larger over the savanna than the African elephant, and you’ll agree when you come face-to-trunk with one at Zoo Atlanta! Meet Tara or Kelly while learning why they are such important ambassadors for their species.

During this Wild Encounter experience, you will learn about elephants with a Zoo Educator before heading behind the scenes to meet up with members of the Elephant Care Team and find out more about elephant care at the Zoo. Of course, no Elephant Wild Encounter would be complete without the opportunity to hand-feed one of the “girls” an afternoon snack.

• Meet at the Zambezi Elephant Center 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter.
• Availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. Advance registration is recommended.
• When space is available, encounter tickets can be purchased online for up to five minutes before the encounter begins.

Days Available:
Sunday, Monday, Friday, and Saturday at 2 p.m.

Select Thursdays at 2 p.m. between May 26 and September 7

Member Cost: $117 | Non-Member Cost: $130 + Zoo admission

Age Range: 4 and up

Warthog Wild Encounter

IF YOU’VE YEARNED TO GET CLOSER TO THE ANIMALS, NOW YOU CAN WITH A WILD ENCOUNTER! 

We welcome you to the wild world of warthogs! Come explore what it takes to care for these charismatic creatures and their neighbors in the African Savanna.

Do warthogs really have warts? Get an up-close look and see! Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at Zoo Atlanta’s African Savanna and give the warthogs a favorite treat. You’ll also meet members of the Zoo’s Animal Care Team and find out what goes into the care of warthogs and other savanna animals.

• Meet outside the warthog habitat near the SweetWater Beer Garden 15 minutes (at 12:45) before the Wild Encounter to check in.
• Availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. Advance registration is recommended.
• When space is available, encounter tickets can be purchased online for up to five minutes before the encounter begins.
• This encounter is not ADA accessible.
• All guests must wear closed-toed shoes on this encounter.

Warthog Wild Encounters will run through November 16, 2026.

Days available:

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday

• April 3 – September 7: Encounter starts at 1 p.m.
  • Check in with Wild Encounter Guide at 12:45 p.m.
• September 8 – November 16: Encounter starts at 10 a.m.
  •  Check in with Wild Encounter Guide at 9:45 a.m.

Member Cost: $41 | Non-Member Cost: $45 + Zoo admission

Age Range: 4 and up

This show will feature historic quilts from Carroll County and more recent works created by current residents. It will also feature bedspreads designed by Bruce Bobick for the Disney All Star Hotels in 1994.

This November, join us for some post-Halloween thrills at the premiere of HauntFest: Harvest of Horrors at Bobby Brown Park in Elberton. The magic begins at 5 p.m. on Nov. 6 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 7, continuing until the clock strikes midnight. Camping, yurts, movie screenings, bouncy houses and more are offered at this venue! If you’re a raging psychopath, sign up to sleep in our Night Terrors camping area, where our ghouls can creep around your tent after hours until 2 a.m. on Sunday morning. To take a first look at the venue, come to our free, on-the-water, Sink or Swim horror movie promo event on July 25. For more information, to get involved, or to buy tickets, visit the website below.

HauntFest is an immersive macabre experience, celebrating the horror arts through live music, art vendors, themed entertainment and bewitching activities. Similar to a Rennaissance Fair, but with a haunted twist. HauntFest is known to have had activities such as axe throwing, live animal encounters (holding snakes or kittens in Halloween costumes), trivia, rage rooms, free-roaming ghouls, food and drink, ghost stories by the fire, freak shows, crafts, face painting, hayrides, celebrity appearances, costume contests and more, always accompanied by a haunted trail or other attraction.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS ONCE YOU GET LOST! 

Wind your way through this twisting, climbing, head-scratching interactive exhibit that’ll challenge the whole family from the very first step. 

Can your eyes actually lie to you? Find out in the Maze of Illusions where nothing is what it seems. Think you’re coordinated? Climb, duck, and try not to get completely tangled in the Web Maze. Feeling ambitious? Build your own maze from scratch, then dare others to solve it.  

From giant finger mazes to brain-busting puzzle tables, art you can touch, and a labyrinth library, there are surprises to be found round every single corner.

Independent cinema finds a home this fall at the 23rd Annual Rome International Film Festival (RIFF).

Transforming historic downtown Rome, Georgia, into an intimate gathering place for global artists and film lovers, the four-day festival showcases groundbreaking narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and animation. Anchored at the historic DeSoto Theatre on Broad Street, RIFF offers unforgettable film blocks, industry panels, and community connection.

Individual screening tickets and weekend passes are available online. Learn more at www.riffga.com.

Washington Farms is a family-friendly agritourism farm with lots of fun activities for people of all ages! You can pick your own pumpkins and flowers, get lost in the corn maze, stroll through the petting zoo, zoom down the Mega Slide, jump on the jumping pillows, cheer on at the pig races, enjoy a wagon ride around the farm, and so much more!!! Visit our website for hours, pricing, and a complete list of activities! 

For hours, pricing, and a complete list of activities, visit http://www.washingtonfarms.net   

See y'all at the farm!

Join the Animal Care Team and one of our talented animal artists, meeting either the Zoo’s “VanGoat” or “Baaahlo,” and take home a unique work of art in this unforgettable experience.

Learn about the positive reinforcement training process of becoming an animal artist. See firsthand the ways this enrichment activity fits into high standards of care for animals at the Zoo when you meet a goat or sheep and see their art creation in action. Please note that we cannot guarantee a specific animal for your program.

• Meet at the Petting Zoo area of Outback Station 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter start time. 
• Availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. Advance registration is recommended.
• When space is available, encounter tickets can be purchased online for up to five minutes before the encounter begins.
• Includes one (1) take-home canvas per registered group.

Days Available:
Saturdays at 3:15 p.m.

Member Cost: $67.50 | Includes one painting per group of four people.
Non-Member Cost: $75 per group of up to four people, + individual Zoo Admission | Includes one painting per group of four people.

Age Range: All ages

Adventure Cubs presented by Carter’s Charitable Foundation is for toddlers and their favorite grownups for a morning of exploration, learning and fun!

Embark on a new journey each month with a Zoo Educator as families get to learn and play together.

Engaging activities will get you and your little one moving and creating. Each month, young explorers will learn about a new animal through a game, craft, story, and singalong. At the end of the program, participants will visit the animal of the month’s habitat to make observations and draw connections to the lesson. You and your family will then receive a themed scavenger hunt to do in the Zoo on your own. This is a great opportunity to make friends and spend time with your little explorers as they discover new skills and learn about wildlife.

All topics and activities are designed for children ages 2-5, with opportunities for exploration for ages 0-2. During the winter months, this program will be held indoors.

2026 Dates:
July 11 & 16
August 1 & 20
September 5 & 17
September 19 (Spanish language edition)
October 3 & 22
November 7 & 19
December 5 & 17

Time: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Zoo Member Cost:
$21 for a parent/guardian and child (each additional child participant will be $5/each)

Non-Member Cost:
$26 for a parent/guardian and child (each additional child participant will be $5/each)*
*Program registration includes Zoo admission.*

THEMES:

Each month, a new adventure awaits with new animals to observe. Adventure Cubs will explore a new region of the world to investigate the animals and environments there! The purpose of each program is to expose young children to the diversity of animals around the world and to draw connections to the ways we are similar and different. For each adventure they go on, Adventure Cubs will engage in an activity, read a story, and create a take-away memory.