Attractions & Recreation

Mother's Day Magic - The Zoo Becomes a Spa!

Date: May 13, 2012
Time: noon-4pm

Also featuring: 2012 Race for Animal of the Year Kick Off!

Does your mom love animals, the outdoors, art, and being pampered? If so, Mother’s Day Magic at the Edmonton Valley Zoo will be the perfect way to celebrate this special day!

This afternoon the Edmonton Valley Zoo turns into the city’s “wildest” art gallery – Art in the Wild!

Guest will be able to buy mom a special piece of art from over 20 local artists. 25% of the proceeds will be going to the Valley Zoo Development Society to help fund Nature’s Wild Backyard!

Guests will have the opportunity to sign their mom up for a complimentary mini manicure or a massage and of course all moms will receive a tasty delight!

While mom is off being pampered the children can watch some of their favourite animals. Next, the children can enjoy some awesome live music to help inspire them to make a surprise gift for mom. Everyone will be dazzled and entertained with the Mother’s Day Magic show and the little ones can take a break and discover the activities featured in the Preschool Pitstop!

Be sure to jump aboard the Edmonton Valley Zoo’s environmentally friendly train for a scenic tour around the zoo or watch for the amazing animal encounters, fantastic face painting or the educational animal talks.

Most importantly, make sure you visit all of the Edmonton Valley Zoo’s “Super Mom’s” and see just how wonderful animal moms can be!

Mark this date in your calendar and plan to be a part of the Mothers’ Day Magic at the Edmonton Valley Zoo!

Activities from noon–4pm inclusive

Mothers’ Day Manicures and Massages (Saito)
Sign your mom up for some pampering! Choose between a mini-manicure or a mini-massage! Don’t forget about the chocolaty delights! (1 spa treatment per guest, sign up on a first come, first served basis while supplies last)

Mothers’ Day Crafts (Program Tent Area)
Create a one-of-a-kind personalized gift for your mom!

Animal Encounters (Inner Zoo)
Watch for roving interpreters.

Fantastic Airbrushed Face Painting by the Purple Team! (Learning Lair)
Airbrush face-painting…fabulous and free!

Amazing Mom’s Touch Table and Talks (Learning Lair)
Learn the importance of animal mothers in breeding programs around the world, and how they raise and take care of their babies!

Preschool Pitstop! (Centre Hall program space)
Take a pitstop with animal themed games, songs, stories and so much more!

Live Musical Entertainment featuring “Six Feet Up” (Inner Zoo)
Awesome live music!

“Super Mom’s Mini-Talks” and Enrichments (Inner/Outer Zoo)
While strolling though the zoo, watch for mini-talks about who at the Edmonton Valley Zoo is a Super Mom!

The Search for “Super Mom’s” (Makira Outpost)
Use the event hand-out to search for “Super Mom’s” facts! Once completed return to the Makira Outpost for a prize!

Art in the Wild (Front Entrance)
The Edmonton Valley Zoo becomes the City’s wildest Art Gallery for one day only! Check out the variety of art including paintings, pottery, soapstone carvings, and so much more – buy your mom one and it will always be a memory she will never forget!

Artists Include:

Vera Bojnec – Solid Concrete Garden Art
Kay McCormack – Soapstone Carvings
Karen Loranger – Paintings
Lezley Zwaal – Quilted Wild Animal Wall Hangings
Marj Dagg – Oil Paintings
Judy DeHoog – Floral Art with Reclaimed Windows
Bonita Gillespie – Oil Painting
Francyne Dion – PhotoArt
Linda Blezard – Landscape and Abstract Paintings
Amanda Brown – Photography
Natalie Langkopf – Scratchboard Art
Jen Hammer - Animal and Portrait Photography Lucy & Hula

Time-specific activities

11am Elephant Talk (Elephant Yard)
Learn about the life of an elephant and watch Lucy receive a special spa treatment including a foot soak, a nail treatment, and a tail scrub.

11:30am Bird Biodiversity (Learning Lair)
There are over 10,000 living species of birds in the world! Meet a bird up close and learn about their unique behaviours and adaptations!

12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm Mothers’ Day Magic Show (Suncor Zoo School)
Amazing Magic!

1pm, 3pm Arctic Animal Adaptations (Arctic Shores)
See what the animals in the Arctic do to survive!

2pm Arctic Wolf Talk (Wolf demonstration area)
All about Arctic Wolves! Get closer to Shilah and Kayok, 2 female Arctic wolves, as they go on a walk around the zoo. Watch the zookeepers work closely with the wolves and learn why behavioural training is important for animal health.

3pm Get Closer! To Animal Armour (Learning Lair)
How do armadillos and tortoises protect themselves? How does a snow leopard ward off the elements? Amphibians don’t have shells or scales so what protects them? Look at and touch various types of animal armour and learn how each animal defends itself against predators or the elements!

Animal Mothers Day Spa Treatments and Gifts!

Watch some of the Edmonton Valley Zoo animals receive their very own spa treatments!
12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm

For more information:

Edmonton Valley Zoo

13315 Buena Vista Road (87th Avenue)
PO Box 2359
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2R7

Telephone	In Edmonton: 311 Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311
Email	attractions@edmonton.ca