Backpacks and bears among festivities at Gladys Porter Zoo kids day on Aug. 5

If you’re looking for a fun family activity before it’s time to head back to school here’s your chance.

The Gladys Porter Zoo, which is located at 500 E. Ringgold St. in Brownsville, will be celebrating its 19th annual Kids Appreciation Day on Saturday, Aug. 5. Because kids love the zoo, right?

Presented by H-E-B, the celebration will kick off at 10 a.m. and run till 3 p.m. Those who wish to participate can pick up an “admit one child free with paid adult admission” coupon at any H-E-B location in Brownsville. The passes are only valid the day of the event.

At the event, children will receive a passport that will lead them on their adventure. Throughout the zoo, there will be various activity stations that will focus on health and wellness, safety, animal conservation and more.

Not only will kids have a chance to explore the zoo but the first 1,000 children who receive their passports will also receive a goodie bag of school supplies as they prepare for the upcoming school year.

“The (zoo) is a big supporter of education so being able to distribute 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to our Valley students is something we look forward to every year, and we are especially grateful to H-E-B for their continued support of the (zoo) and for helping us to achieve this,” marketing director Cynthia Garza-Galvan said in a zoo news release Friday.

But wait there’s more if you can bear it!

Free school supplies aren’t the only prize at this event. Once the kids have completed the passport activities they can use it to enter a raffle where they can win prizes such as a bicycle, gift cards, and even a backpack full of school supplies.

For more information about the event, call the zoo office at (956) 546-7187 or visit gladysporterzoo.org.