Photo Courtesy Maryland Zoo
Maryland 2025 - Get Holly-Jolly at the Maryland Zoo this November and December with a packed schedule of seasonal events through New Year’s Day and beyond.
Major activities for kids and adults include:
Basket Bingo – On Friday, November 21, put on your game face for some serious fun in a competitive round of bingo. More than 20 gift baskets are up for grabs at this popular event. Each one is valued at a minimum of $100 and packed with untamed surprises.
Holly-Days – Each Holly-Days weekend, from November 28 through January 4, offers a different way to enjoy the season – from Santa, to celebrations of Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and a New Year’s Eve party at noon just for kids. Holly-Days events are free with Zoo admission and include unlimited train & carousel rides, holiday-themed education stations, chats with Zookeepers, storytimes, craft stations, and much-much more.
- Santa & Friends – Multiple dates
- Who’s in Zooville – December 6 & 7
- Wildly Jolly – Multiple dates
- Hanukkah – December 21
- Kwanzaa – December 26
- Felices Fiestas – December 29
- Sensory Holly Day with Santa & Friends – December 30
- New Year’s Eve at Noon – December 31
- Animals in the Wintertime – January 1
- Purple Pride Day – January 2
- Frozen Wild – January 3 & 4
Breakfast with Santa & Friends – Families get multiple chances to hang with Mr. Claus with a choice of an early breakfast or a mid-morning brunch buffet on the Zoo’s Mansion House Porch each Saturday and Sunday in December. Guests will settle in to create unique seasonal crafts as special animal friends stop by for a visit. Then, when the bells begin to jingle, Kris Kringle is on his way! Tickets include same-day Zoo admission.
Daily Events – Including animal keeper chats, conservation activities, storytime and nature play, and education stations that help children explore the world around us.
Unique Holiday Gifts to Support the Zoo's Animal Care!
Give something wild this holiday season with a unique gift from the Maryland Zoo like the Baltimore Monopoly game, tickets to a special event, greeting cards made by animal artists, or an annual Zoo membership, which is a gift that keeps giving! Each purchase supports the Zoo’s animal care and conservation programs. Visit the online shop for more information.
