Knoxville Zoo invites party animals of all ages to celebrate conservation of the local environment and Earth's diverse inhabitants at Party for the Planet on Sunday, April 26 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. This Earth Day bash is one of more than 100 parties being thrown across the country at Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoos and aquariums.

Environmentally conscious organizations will have representatives on-site with interactive displays and family activities. Area students will also have the opportunity to make recycling a fine art-literally! Elementary and middle school students can compete in The Recycled Art Project, a challenge to create art out of reused and recyclable materials. High school students can show off their artistic abilities by participating in the Barrel Project, a competition in which teams design and paint recycling barrels with conservation and environmental themes. The art projects will be on display during Party for the Planet, and visitors and Knoxville Zoo's Green Team will choose the winners. Selected projects will be displayed after the event on zoo grounds. Teams will receive free admission to Party for the Planet to cheer on their creations, and the first place teams will win special zoo prizes.

Registration for The Recycled Art Project and The Barrel Project is required by April 15. For more information or to register, contact Kellie Burns, Party for the Planet coordinator at (865) 637-5331, ext. 371, or by email at [email protected].

Knoxville Zoo is located off exit 392A from Interstate 40 and is open every day except Christmas Day. The zoo 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. Currently, the zoo is open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and weekends from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Next-day admission is free after 3:00 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxville-zoo.org.