Record Number of Guests Visit Christmas at the Zoo Attendance for 2012 holiday event tops 105,000

INDIANAPOLIS – 2013-01-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — Despite 17 days of below- reezing temperatures and a major snowstorm, a record number of guests visited the Indianapolis Zoo to be part of one of the region’s most beloved holiday traditions.

Attendance for Christmas at the Zoo, presented by Donatos and Teachers Credit Union, reached 105,300 in 2012, setting a record for the Zoo’s longstanding event. This marked the 44th year for Christmas at the Zoo. The previous record was set in 2011 with 101,700 guests.

The tradition of Christmas at the Zoo dates back to 1967 when the Zoo, then located on East 30th Street, became the first zoo in the country to hold a holiday lights event. Today, it takes staff and volunteers about three months and hundreds of hours to string more than one million lights and an equal investment of time and manpower to take everything down. In total, work is ongoing for nearly six months to bring Christmas at the Zoo to the thousands of guests who enjoy it each year.

About the Indianapolis Zoo
Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Association of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. The Indianapolis Zoo empowers people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation.

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Contact: Carla Knapp
Public Relations Specialist
317-630-3257
cknapp@indyzoo.com