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Christmas at the Zoo returns to Minot Saturday

Submitted Photo Christmas at the Zoo, shown during a past event, is returning to Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot on Saturday, Dec. 11. Santa will be part of the activities planned that day.

Christmas at the Zoo is returning to Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

The annual event was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Jennifer Kleen, executive director of the Greater Minot Zoological Society, said activities planned for this year’s Christmas at the Zoo include crafts, animal chats on zoo grounds plus cookies and cocoa.

Santa Claus will be at the zoo, including at the animal chats, she added.

She said a hayride on zoo grounds is also planned.

Kleen said the cost to attend this year’s event is $2 for members and $3 for nonmembers.

“They can renew their membership for 2022 to the zoo and get in for free,” she said.

There are also several ways visitors can get free admittance to Christmas at the Zoo.

A blood drive with Vitalant, a community toy drive and a food drive will be held at the zoo.

The blood drive will be conducted in the Visitors Center auditorium. Early signup is by emailing jennifer@minotparks.com. One person gets into the zoo event for free with the donation of blood.

Zoo visitors can bring a used toy or a new toy for the toy drive. Each toy will admit one person for free.

Kleen said the used toys (especially hard, non-electric toys) will be used for enrichment for the zoo animals and new, unwrapped toys will go to the Minot Area Homeless Coalition. All used toys collected that can’t be used at the zoo will be shared with the Minot Boys & Girls Ranch.

A food donation is another way a visitor can get free entry to the zoo event. Food to donate for zoo animals include dried fruit, Cheerios, peanut butter, jelly, baby puffs, popcorn and unsalted peanuts. Some donated canned goods or nonperishable food items will be used for zoo animals. Items more human in nature will be donated to Last Call Food Pantry.

The blood drive and community toy drive are a first for the zoo.

Kleen said the donations are a good way to make it possible for everyone to attend the event that day.

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