For the second year in a row, Zoo Knoxville has had a record attendance, surpassing the 2015 record of 440,115 by more than 30,000 visitors.

To encourage a strong finish to the biggest year in the zoo’s 68-year history, the zoo is offering the last visitors of 2016 the chance to win a behind-the-scenes tour of an animal area or an annual pass.     

The 2015 record was officially broken on Nov. 11, during the zoo’s popular Dollar Days event. As the year comes to a close, the zoo anticipates attendance could surpass 473,000 visitors to the park. To help reach that number, the zoo will be offering a special surprise to Friday and Saturday attendees; the 473,000th visitor through the gates will win a VIP behind-the-scenes tour and a Zoo Knoxville gift box to commemorate the occasion. To make entry for all Friday and Saturday zoo-goers wildly fun and suspenseful, current attendance numbers will not be released.    

The zoo will also be offering visitors on Friday, Dec. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, the chance to win an annual pass when they check in and post a photo taken at a special photo op, the Wildly Fun Zookeeper Truck, parked in front of Black Bear Falls.  To be entered to win a 2017 annual pass, visitors just need to check in at Zoo Knoxville on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and post a photo of themselves or their family and friends taken at the Wildly Fun Zookeeper Truck.  The winner will be chosen by a random drawing and notified the week of Jan. 2, 2017, via social media.  

“It’s been a very successful year, so we thought it only fitting to finish in the spirit of the fun and sometimes unexpected experiences we’ve offered our guests in 2016 to celebrate,” said Lisa New, President and CEO of Zoo Knoxville.  

Zoo Knoxville is a nonprofit entity situated on 53 wooded acres just east of downtown Knoxville. Zoo Knoxville features exhibits of wild animals in natural habitats and is world renowned for its efforts in conservation and species survival. Zoo Knoxville is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Knoxville’s largest attraction, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Currently, the zoo is open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily.  Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes.
 
For more information visit zooknoxville.org.