RENTALS & PARTIES
BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT THE ZOO
Please note that registration is required at least two weeks prior to the party date that you are requesting and is subject to availability.
John Ball Zoo members receive 20% off of the base party package price. CLICK HERE to become a member!
BIRTHDAYS
Looking for a great location to host your Party Animal's birthday? Let them go wild at the Zoo!
Create the party package that best suits your needs. Make your reservation early! Summer dates fill up quickly. Birthday parties at John Ball Zoo are customizable and fun!
BIRTHDAY PACKAGE PRICE | $400
PARTY TIME SLOTS | 10:30am – 12:30pm or 2pm – 4pm
PACKAGE INCLUDES
Includes admission for up to 20 individuals – Adults and children over the age of 2. Children age 2 and under are admitted free. Additional guests may be added for $12 each. The maximum number of guests is 50 people.
Your party is hosted in our Birthday Pavilion, located at the top of the Zoo.
Venue upgrade options available upon request
Each child will receive a Zoo themed party favor. Plus, the birthday child receives a special gift!
A Zoo party host to greet you and help facilitate your party.
One of our Ambassador Animals will visit your party with an education staff member.
A complimentary zoo themed activity will be provided for your party animals to enjoy! Complimentary activities include animal themed coloring pages, John Ball Zoo themed crossword puzzles, and more!
BIRTHDAYS
Celebrate at the Zoo
$30 – 20 Gourmet Zoo Themed Cupcakes
Baked fresh from The Cake Connection
$9 – 7 in. Personal Pizzas
Choice of Pepperoni or Cheese
Catering includes compostable tableware and utensils. Final attendance numbers and payment due 10 days prior to the event. Prices do not include MI 6% Sales Tax. No refunds
Face Painting Experience | $140.00Â One of our talented face painters will visit your party and paint up to 20 faces!
Zip Line Ticket | $8 each
Zip across our 600-foot Zip line!
Ropes Course Ticket | $8 each
Challenge yourself on our 4-story tall Ropes Course!
Zip Line and Ropes Course Combo Ticket | $12.80 each
Save big and enjoy both experiences!
Camel Ride Ticket | $7 each
Budgie Feeding Stick | $2 each
JBZ Gem Company Pay Dirt Bag | $5 each
Visit our John Ball Zoo Gem Company Sluice to pan for your very own gems!
Additional Ambassador Animal Encounter | $60
A visit from 2 additional Ambassador Animal friends.
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Ball Room Venue Upgrade | $100
Indoor venue, Located on 2nd floor of Zoo Administration building
Pond Pavilion Venue Upgrade | $100
Outdoor Picnic Area, Max capacities of 100 people
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Additional Party Attendee | $12 each
Additional Birthday Child | $20.00
Zoo Gift Card | $1 and up
BIRTHDAYS
Frequently Asked Questions
The birthday party host is there to ensure the party runs smoothly. They can assist with setting up decorations, greeting the party guests, replacing forgotten items, and first aid. The party host will provide excellent customer service while helping and assisting wherever they are needed. If you have any questions or concerns during your party, please utilize your host as a resource.
Yes! However, we do ask that you do not bring alcohol or glass containers. Please note that the rental spaces do not have outlet usage and we do not
allow on-site caterers. We also offer a variety of catering options available for pick up at our main Monkey Island Café on the day of your party.
Our cupcakes are baked fresh for each party by The Cake Connection. If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, please let us know
in advance. We will try our best to accommodate.
Absolutely! However, we do ask that you do not bring balloons, confetti, glass objects or pinatas. We do allow access to the reserved space up to 30 minutes prior to your party time for decorating. Please note that we do not provide signage for parties, so please communicate with your guests regarding the location of your party. A representative of your party may need to wait at the admissions gate if you have late arrivals that need to be escorted into the Zoo.
Our Ambassador Animals are a variety of small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, and birds. Some examples include: rabbits, turtles, insects,
parrots, snakes, geckos, hedgehogs and more! Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate requests for specific animals. Ambassador Animals are
chosen based on availability and the animal’s behavior the day of the event. We will do our best to accommodate if there are concerns of allergic
reactions with advanced notice. Ambassador Animals will visit your party for the last 30 minutes of your scheduled party time. Please be sure to have all
food and beverage cleaned up prior to their arrival.
You may meet your party host at Guest Services up to an hour prior to your party start time! Your host will provide you with your birthday packet containing admission for all of your guests along with any additional items that you may have pre-purchased. We do not permit items to be stored in the reserved party space before or after your rental time. Please be aware of the start and end times of your party.
You may explore the Zoo before and/or after your party during normal operational hours. Please note that our hours of operation do change throughoutthe season and may affect the best time to visit the Zoo based on your party time slot. For more information on hours of operation, please visit our
website at jbzoo.org.
Parties do happen rain or shine! Refunds will not be given for inclement weather unless the Zoo closes due to weather. Please note that the
Ambassador Animal experience is temperature and weather dependent. In the event of adverse weather conditions, we will do our best to
relocate the Ambassador Animal experience but cannot guarantee. Rain checks will only be issued for any pre-booked experiences that have
been cancelled due to inclement weather. In the event that John Ball Zoo cancels a party, a full refund will be issued.
Adjustments and refunds (minus the party deposit) can be made up to 14 days prior to your party’s date. Anything after that is nonrefundable. Additional guests may be added up to 7 days prior to your party date for $12.00 each.
Admission tickets are non-refundable. If you have additional guests attend the day of, they are subject to our general admission rates and may purchase admission directly at the admissions booth.
With a valid John Ball Zoo membership in the parent/guardian’s name of the birthday child, all members receive a 20% discount off the Birthday
Package price of $400.00. This offer is not valid for AZA reciprocal partnership members.
We are happy to accommodate parties for all ages. Whether you’re turning 1 or 101- let our birthday party coordinator plan the purr-fect party for you! There is truly no age limit on having fun at the Zoo.
