TACOMA/EATONVILLE, Wash.—Sister zoos Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash., and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville, Wash., are hosting Pride celebrations on June 22 and June 23.
At both zoos, guests can watch animals enjoy rainbow-themed enrichments all weekend. Many animal areas will be decorated in festive Pride decorations.
“As community centered organizations, Point Defiance Zoo and Northwest Trek are dedicated to creating inclusive spaces and uplifting the LGBTQIA+ community during the Pride event and throughout the year,” said Alan Varsik, director of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, a facility of Metro Parks Tacoma.
Pride at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
At Point Defiance Zoo, guests are encouraged to express themselves festively and join the Pride Parade. Led by animals from Wild Wonders and Kids’ Zone (accompanied by their care team), the parade will begin near the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater on Saturday and Sunday (10:30 am both days). Plus, guests are invited to create their own Pride flag and snap a selfie at the Pride photo booth in the main plaza.
Gather, Unite, and Thrive
Point Defiance Zoo is also facilitating inclusive spaces for members of the LGBTQIA2+ community to Gather, Unite, and Thrive. On both Saturday and Sunday, guests are invited to attend drop-in social hours focused on building connections:
- 9:30 am in Kids’ Zone for LGBTQIA2+ families with young children
- 11:00 am in the Education Center for LGBTQIA2+ adults and elders
- 1:00pm in the Education Center for LGBTQIA2+ pre-teens and teens
Pride at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
At Northwest Trek, see animals like grizzly bears, badgers, the cougar, and the skunk enjoy rainbow-themed enrichments (like rainbow ice treats and rainbow fruit skewers!).
All Pride events are free, with paid admission to Point Defiance Zoo and Northwest Trek. See the full list of activities, Keeper Chats, and the enrichment schedule at the websites below.
To learn more about Point Defiance Zoo’s event, visit: https://www.pdza.org/event/pride-celebration/
To learn more about Northwest Trek’s event, visit: https://www.nwtrek.org/event/pride-celebration/
