Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo unveils 2025 summer season lineup
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (1875 Noble Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06610) is excited to unveil its action-packed Summer 2025 Calendar, featuring a wild mix of thrilling events and hands-on educational programs running from June through September. As the days get warmer, the Zoo transforms into a lively hub of adventure where guests of all ages can connect with nature, discover incredible wildlife, and have a roaring good time!
June
June 14: Join us June 16–22 for Pollinator Week as we celebrate nature’s tiny superheroes—bees, butterflies, bats, and beetles—that help grow the food we eat and the flowers we love. Visit on Saturday,
June 14, to meet our educators and explore the Zoo’s thriving pollinator gardens, which provide vital habitat for native species. Discover how you can support pollinators at home and be part of the solution to protect these essential creatures.
June 15: Celebrate Father’s Day with dad, grandpa, your fatherly figures or bring the whole family.
June 18: Join an insightful Evening Lecture Series presented by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Paul Benjunas, DEEP Outreach Wildlife Biologist will present some of the division’s ongoing research efforts, dispel some common wildlife myths, and discuss how members of the public can help conserve CT’s wildlife! Click here to sign up!
June 20: It’s national Bald Eagle Day and we have special activities planned with our very own, Kodiak. On this day in 1782 the Bald Eagle was designated as our nation’s symbol.
June 22: Mark your calendar for World Rainforest Day and celebrate the importance of healthy, standing rainforests for climate, biodiversity, culture, and livelihoods, and convenes a global movement to protect and restore them. Visit our rainforest building and learn more about the different species that call the rainforest home!
June 26: The popular Zoo Tots returns, offering engaging educational sessions for our youngest visitors. Are They Insects? Discover the difference between insects and arachnids and learn how to identify if an animal is an insect! This monthly 30-minute program, for children 22 months to four years who are accompanied by an adult, may include stories, games, crafts, and live animals. Click here to register!
June 28: Skyhunters in Flight is back every weekend June 28 through September 1, with shows at 11:00am and 2:00pm. Watch birds of prey fly above as Master Falconer Brian Bradley demonstrates their special powers. Get a closer look at owls, hawks, and falcons from around the world, and learn how these beautiful birds play a key role in our environment at the top of the food chain.
July
Summer Animal Shows: Grab your passports and pack your bags! Join the Zoo this summer on a whirlwind tour, Around the World in 30 Minutes! Explore dense rainforests, towering mountains, expansive grasslands along with our amazing animal ambassadors and their caregivers. Shows are Thursdays and Fridays at 11:00am and 2:00pm in our Adventure Amphitheater. Travelers of all ages are invited to visit the zoo this summer to attend one of our amazing summer shows!
July 4: Celebrate Independence Day by visiting the Zoo and our bald eagle Kodiak! In 1782, the bald eagle was adopted as the symbol for the United States of America.
July 9: Zoo Tots featuring engaging educational sessions for our youngest visitors. Join us to learn why birds have feathers! This monthly 30-minute program, for children 22 months to four years who are accompanied by an adult, may include stories, games, crafts, and live animals. Click here to register!
July 16: Slither over and celebrate World Snake Day with a Kingsnake, Boa Constrictor and more.
July 19: Don’t miss the Teddy Bear Festival, a day of fun and games. Children are invited to bring their favorite plush toy to the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital “Clinic” for a health checkup. The day is filled with healthy activities and education. Hugs to Teddy Bear Sponsor: CHET 529 College Savings Program.
July 19: Celebrate Andean Bear Day by swinging by to visit Cayambe and Nuna in our Andean Bear habitat. Zoo Educators will share fun facts about South America’s only bear species and share how you can help protect these tree-climbing, fruit-loving adventurers.
July 23: Beardsley Zoo is proud to announce its 7th annual photography contest. The contest serves as an opportunity for the Zoo’s many dedicated amateur and professional photographers to submit their best work for public viewing. The contest, sponsored by Milford Photo, will combine digital submissions with an in-person exhibition. Judging will take place in July, with an in-person show held on Wednesday, July 23 in the Zoo’s Hanson Building.
July 25: It’s National Merry-Go-Round Day! It’s a perfect day to come ride the carousel at the zoo!
August
Summer Animal Shows: Grab your passports and pack your bags! Join the Zoo this summer on a whirlwind tour, Around the World in 30 Minutes! Explore dense rainforests, towering mountains, expansive grasslands along with our amazing animal ambassadors and their caregivers. Shows are on Thursdays and Fridays at 11:00am and 2:00pm in the Adventure Amphitheater. Travelers of all ages are invited to visit the zoo this summer to attend one of our amazing summer shows!
August 2: Visit the Zoo to see our resident Golden Lion Tamarins in the Rainforest Building! Golden lion tamarins are native to forests of Brazil and are classified as endangered, mostly because of habitat loss. Zoos have played a key role in bringing golden lion tamarins back from the brink of extinction.
August 20: The popular Zoo Tots returns, offering engaging educational sessions for our youngest visitors. Hoo, Hoo! Join us in the Adventure Amphitheatre from 10:30 am to 11 am to meet our special guest! I will give you a hint – our special guest likes to hoot and is usually awake in the evening! This monthly 30-minute program, for children 22 months to four years who are accompanied by an adult, may include stories, games, crafts, and live animals. Click here to register.
August 22 and 28: MonarchWatch Classes: MonarchWatch is a Citizen Science program that teaches volunteers to tag and record Monarch Butterflies. Your contribution will help scientists collect very valuable data to study the population and its migration patterns down to Mexico for the winter season. Click here to register.
September
September 5: MonarchWatch classes: MonarchWatch is a Citizen Science program that teaches volunteers to tag and record Monarch Butterflies. Your contribution will help scientists collect very valuable data to study the population and its migration patterns down to Mexico for the winter season. Click here to register.
September 8: Tee off for conservation at the 19th Annual Zoo Golf Tournament! Gather three coworkers, friends or family members and join us at the exclusive Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield for fun and fundraising! This year’s tournament will feature a traditional shotgun start, grill lunch, and buffet dinner. Click here to learn more and register.
September 13: Brush off those superhero capes and take out the tiaras for Fairy Tails Day presented by Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Care Alliance with Hartford HealthCare. On this day, the Zoo turns into a magical land, with a day full of fun activities, including princesses, superheroes, story times, face painting. This year’s event includes Read to Grow with their Bookmobile providing free books in over a dozen different languages!
September 17: Southern Connecticut State University Graduate Student, Keelyn Kotecki, studies bats and has traveled to Belize to focus her research on vampire bats. Kotecki will share her insights on her findings and offer explanations about bats and their importance in our ecosystem.” Join us at 7:00PM at the Zoo’s Hanson Building for this informative Evening Lecture! Click here to register
September 20: International Red Panda Day. The Zoo is happy to celebrate International Red Panda Day! The Red Panda is classified as Endangered due to human caused threats like deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and illegal pet trade. Visit the zoo and the Natt Family Red Panda Habitat to learn more about this amazing animal who sleeps 12 or more hours a day and meet Ponya! Meet Zoo Educators at our Red Panda exhibit, to see artifacts and to learn about this adorable animal from 1pm–3pm.
September 26: AARP Day
AARP members can enjoy free admission to the Zoo. Members must register through the AARP website and pick up their tickets at the AARP table located at the main entrance.
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