AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

11 December 2006

New Year’s Eve Jungle Party at Auckland Zoo

Come along to Auckland Zoo on 31 December for the best family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration in town – the Buzz! Junior Jungle Party.

As party-goers come through the main gates at 6pm, they’ll be magically transported into “Tiger Time”. Tiger Time is three hours into the future, so everyone can cheer in the New Year at the earlier time of 9pm at the Band Rotunda with live band, The Zoolus, and other fabulous guests and entertainers.

There will be plenty to keep the family entertained throughout the evening, including roving characters, an inflatable wave slide, bouncy castle, interactive games and spot prizes and giveaways. For kids looking for adventure, there’s even a Buzz! Junior trail to follow that will take them to the new Playstation 2 game, Buzz! Junior Jungle Party, so that they can find out what all the buzz is about.

The zoo party hasn’t forgotten about the grown-ups, who can kick up their heels and dance away the last few hours of 2006 to great music, courtesy of The Zoolus, at the New Year's Eve Party Zone (Band Rotunda). The zoo's licensed cafe, Darwin's, will be open, and catering for all ages, and there's also the opportunity to join the kids and take a walk through the zoo grounds to check out what the animals are doing on New Year’s Eve.

“New Year’s Eve can be a tricky night for families- you want to do something special, but know midnight is a stretch for littlies. Our Buzz! Junior Jungle Party solves that problem by having midnight at 9pm, and it’s a fabulous way for all the family to welcome in 2007,” says Jackie Sanders, Auckland Zoo events and sponsorship coordinator.

“We also want to encourage families to think globally about their New Year’s Eve resolutions, and make some that will help the planet, and future generations. Small achievable achievable actions like reducing their plastic bag use, recycling organic waste to make compost to fertilise their gardens, or being less reliant on cars by using public transport more, will all help,” says Ms Sanders.

Auckland Zoo’s Buzz! Junior Jungle Party event is brought to you by Buzz! Junior Jungle Party in association with Playstation 2. Supported by 91Zm and Flava 96.1.

Buzz! Junior Jungle Party – New Year’s Eve:

- Sunday, 31 December, 6pm – 9.30pm the Zoo will be cleared at 5.30pm and reopened at 6pm.

- tickets available from Auckland Zoo – www.aucklandzoo.co.nz or phone 360 3805 and from Ticketek – www.ticketek.co.nz or phone 370 5000

- prices – adults $22.00, children (4-15 years) $15.00, under 4 years free. Family passes and concessions available. FOTZ members receive a 20per cent discount.

ENDS

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