Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo to Host Penguin Palooza! Event

The Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is thrilled to host its annual Penguin Palooza! event on Sunday, July 13, 2025 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Penguin Palooza! is a family-friendly event that celebrates one of the most popular (and perhaps, most dramatic) species at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo: Humboldt penguins! This event is FREE for members or included with zoo admission.

Guests of all ages will have the opportunity to enjoy an incredible array of fun activities all day long, including free ice cream, kid-friendly foods, music, face painting, and, of course, creature chats about the Humboldt penguins living at the zoo and efforts to conserve the species in the wild. Earlier in April 2025, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo celebrated the hatching of two male Humboldt penguins named Domingo and Ramon.

“Penguin Palooza! is great fun for the whole family,” says Carrie Large, Executive Director of the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. “The arrival of our two adorable chicks is sure to make Penguin Palooza! extra special this year. We invite everyone to our celebration of our Humboldt penguins as we all enjoy summer treats and learn more about how we can work together to protect the species.”

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists Humboldt penguins as vulnerable to extinction. Since the habitat’s opening in 2005, over 50 Humboldt penguins have hatched at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, marking a significant contribution to the population.

For those looking for even more penguin fun, the Friends of the Zoo hosts exclusive yoga classes set at the Penguin Coast habitat, with ticket proceeds benefiting the colony of Humboldt penguins living at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Yoga with the Penguins takes place each Sunday in July from 8:30-9:45 a.m. Classes are followed by an informative creature chat about Humboldt penguins. Tickets are available now.

To learn more about Penguin Palooza! and Yoga with the Penguins, visit rosamondgiffordzoo.org.

Penguin Palooza! is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.