For immediate release: 6/13/06
Contact:
Laura Dunn: 401-785-3510 x320
Cell: 401-523-7191
Lisa Bousquet: 401-785-3510 x302
Cell: 401-473-4142
Pressroom@rwpzoo.org

Roger Williams Park Zoo Opens New “Full Circle Farm” Exhibit
with “Fun on the Farm” Celebration this Fourth of July Weekend

Providence, RI –   Families looking for some all-American, good old-fashioned fun this Fourth of July weekend won’t be disappointed if they head to Roger Williams Park Zoo.  To celebrate the official opening of a newly redesigned farmyard exhibit, the zoo is hosting “Fun on the Farm” July 1 – 4, featuring a jam-packed schedule of farm and country-inspired activities, entertainment and demonstrations.

Over the course of the four-day event visitors can enjoy a display of farm antiques; farm-themed games, giveaways and storytelling; "animal interviews" where visitors can learn more about particular Farmyard animals – including rare and endangered breeds - through talks with zoo staff and volunteers; animal enrichment demonstrations; composting and master gardener demonstrations by the University of Rhode Island and the Worm Ladies of Charlestown; meet & greets with the zoo's horticulturalists; a scarecrow making workshop; country-style musical entertainment; and craft activities by OOP!.

In addition, the zoo will host displays by area farm-related organizations including SVF Foundation, RI Farm Bureau, Kids First, Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education, Rhode Island 4-H, Washington County Fair and the Rhode Island State Grange, Southside Community Land Trust, Future Farmers of America, American Farmland Trust, Casey Farm, Jaswell's Farm and the Department of Environmental Management.  A complete schedule of each day’s activities can be found on the zoo’s website at www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org. 

Even without all the special activities, the new farmyard will continue to offer zoo visitors a new and engaging experience in the months to come.  Redesigned and reinvented with a new theme – the Full Circle Farm – and a new mascot, Fred the field mouse, the new exhibit encourages closer contact with the animals than in the past, allowing children (and the young at heart) to become more engaged in the learning experience.

Special signs created for younger visitors feature Fred, the Farmyard’s furry guide.  (He even encourages visitors to sing a special tune at the hand-washing station located at the exit – a feature that kids will enjoy and parents will surely appreciate.)  The new Farmyard also features a small presentation stage where, throughout the summer, local 4-H groups will host talks and demonstrations and zoo interpreters will tell farm-themed stories and even spin wool.

Along the way visitors will find out how many farming practices are coming full circle.  Techniques of yesterday like using compost instead of chemical fertilizers, rain barrels for collecting water to irrigate gardens and using beneficial insects to control harmful pest populations are becoming more and more common on farms of all sizes. 

And in keeping with the rest of the zoo’s animal collection the Farmyard now features a number of rare and fascinating farm breeds, generously donated by SVF Foundation.  Located in Newport, RI, SVF Foundation is dedicated to ensuring the preservation of rare and endangered breeds of livestock.

Other holiday weekend events at the zoo include the first of three “Dinos at Dusk” presentations on Saturday, July 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  After the rest of the zoo has closed, visitors to Dinos at Dusk will literally walk the red carpet and get a unique VIP-like evening peak at the zoo’s special summer exhibit, DINOSAURS: HOLLYWOOD STYLE, featuring17 moving, roaring dinosaurs including the nearly two-story tall T-Rex and Spinosaurus. 

Along the way they’ll encounter fun depictions of classic Hollywood movie sets and get a behind-the-scenes look at what brings the dinosaurs to life.  Admission to Dinos at Dusk is $6 per adult and $4 per child (ages 3 – 12) and seniors (62+).  The zoo will host two more Dinos at Dusk events on August 6 and September 3.

Regular day time admission to the zoo is $12 adults, $8 seniors (62+) and $6 children (ages 3 to 12).  Children under three and zoo members are free.  Fun on the Farm activities run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are free with regular zoo admission. 

For more information, visit www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org or call 401-785-3510.  Roger Williams Park Zoo is owned by the City of Providence and is operated and maintained by the Rhode Island Zoological Society.

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EDITOR'S NOTE - PHOTOS AVAILABLE: Photos may be obtained by contacting the Zoo PR office.