Group Sales Department
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 338 • GSales@rwpzoo.org

Scheduling Your Evening Event
Organization Name: ________________________________________ Contact Name: ________________________________
Address: ______________________ City: __________ State: ___ Zip: ____ Phone: ____________ Email: ________________

Step 1:

Evening Event Information(INFORMATION ONLY)
Evening events are perfect for those seeking a little more privacy and exclusivity. During the rental (5:30 – 8:30 PM), yourguests enjoy exclusive access to zoo grounds, long after the public has left. Frolic with flamingos, monkey around by thegibbons, and relax like the sloths. Build more memories by adding animal encounters, delicious meals, and family-friendly
rides! (additional fees apply). Our outdoor, open-air zoo is yours to enjoy all night!
The Entire Zoo rental ($5,500) runs from 5:30 – 8:30 PM.
The non-refundable deposit due required to book your event equals 50% of the venue fee.
That means a $2,750 deposit is due today to book this event.
Step 2:

Scheduling your experience(REQUIRED)

Evening Events are available May – August.

Roger Williams Park Zoo is open rain or shine, so you needn’t ever worry about rain dates or rescheduling.

Desired Event Date: ________________________________________
Step 3:

Estimating your attendance(REQUIRED)
Up to 2,200 guests are welcome on-site during this evening event. As you plan your dining and activities, note that we havemultiple tented areas that can fit up to 200 guests at a time in the event of rain, plus additional uncovered seating. If you’re
expecting a larger group, do not worry! Group Sales will collaborate with you to draft a plan that cycles guests through thedining areas in an efficient, enjoyable manner.
I expect approximately _________ total guests. Of that quantity, I estimate about _________ are adults (ages 13+) andabout _________ are children (ages 2-12).

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Group Sales Department
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 338 • GSales@rwpzoo.org

Step 4:

Get WILD: Add on an animal feature(OPTIONAL)
Armadillo Experience: Delight and engage your guests with an up-close and immersive armadillo experience! During thisencounter, guests can step inside the armadillo corral and personal view of these captivating creatures. This experience isstaffed by a trained animal handler who is there to answer any questions. This experience is located by the Snake Den andtypically welcomes 500 guests per hour.
____ One-hour experience in Upper Zoo (6 – 7 PM). $400.
____ Two-hour experience in Upper Zoo (6 – 8 PM). $800.
Larger Collection Encounter: Features a 30-minute presentation from a trained animal handler.

Example animals include hawk, armadillo, opossum, snake, or skink. Animals assigned by RWPZ staff. All times are approximate.

____ 2 animals & a trained interpreter: accommodates 20 – 50 viewers. $250.

The animal presentations take place consecutively in a single location. The first animal is introduced 5:45 – 6 PM and thesecond 6:10 – 6:25.

____ 3 animals & a trained interpreter - accommodates 51 – 100 viewers. $300.

The animal presentations take place consecutively in a single location. The first animal is introduced 5:45 – 6 PM, thenext 6:10 – 6:25, and the last from 6:30 – 6:45 PM.

____ 4 animals & trained interpreter(s) - accommodates for 100 – 200 viewers. $350.

The four encounters will be split across two locations. The first series will feature one animal in Lower Zoo from 6:00 –6:15 PM and a second animal will be introduced at the same location from 6:20 – 6:35 PM. Meanwhile, two different
animals will be introduced at those same time periods in Upper Zoo. This distribution engages people in more locations,
so more guests can enjoy the experience.

Step 5:

Customize your adventure!
(OPTIONAL)_____ Train Excursions: Hop aboard the Wilderness Explorer as it circles around its train trail, enchanting guests with its
charming nostalgia. This family-friendly premium train is designed for all ages and rides are included. This experience islocated in the Explore and Soar area and can welcome up to 150 guests per hour. $1,900 for 2 hours (5:30 – 7:30 PM).

_____ Zip Ride: Soar 115 feet high with the zoo’s popular new zip ride attraction. Gaze out into Narragansett Bay anddowntown Providence as you glide over Marco Polo Lake. Rides are included. Height, weight, and health restrictions apply,
ask for more details. Zip ride accommodates about 40-50 guests each hour. $1,900 for 2 hours (5:30 – 7:30 PM).

____Dragons and Mythical Creatures exhibit: Adventure through a legendary landscape! Your imagination will come alive
as you find yourself among dragons, unicorns, wyverns, and krakens, amongst many other magical creatures. Come face-toface with roaring magical beasts and immerse yourself alongside over 50 life-size, animatronic moving marvels. This featuretakes place on the Wetlands Trail, and will run from 5:30 – 7:30 PM.
Admission for up to 500 guests @ $1,500
Admission for up to 1,000 guests @ $1,750
Admission for up to 2,200 guests @ $2,500= ________= ________= ________

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Group Sales Department
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 338 • GSales@rwpzoo.org____Face Painting & Henna Art: With these artists working their magic, your event is sure to be a whimsical sensation!
Children will choose from an array of beautiful designs presented to them on-site. As you plan, be sure to accurately include
the number of children you expect (and therefore the number of artists you require), since we will plan staffing based on yourquantity. Please be specific and/or overestimate attendance, since we cannot guarantee additional artists will be available as
the event draws closer. This feature is located by Elephants and will run from 5:30 – 7:30 PM.
Face painter (basic designs, 2 hours):
Face painter (premium designs, 2 hours):
Henna artists (2 hours):________ painters (1 for every 30 kids) @ $450 each________ painters (1 for every 30 kids) @ $500 each________ painters (1 for every 30 kids) @ $500 each

= ________= ________= ______________ Visit from Roger the Red Panda: Kids will love a meet and greet with the zoo’s official costumed mascot, Roger the
Red Panda! Accompanied by a trusted zoo member, Roger is stationed at the main entrance to joyfully welcome everyone to
the zoo. Once most guests are inside, this fan-favorite rascal can also meander through the exhibit areas to exchange a few
more high-fives. During his visit, Roger will interact with children for a 20-minute block that is immediately followed by a 20minute ‘bamboo break.’ For safety reasons, this on/off break cycle repeats throughout the 2-hour rental block. Book him today
for the ultimate zoo photo op! $250 (5:15 – 7:15 PM).
Step 6:

Designing a delicious meal
(REQUIRED)
Complete your event with a hassle-free experience from the zoo’s on-site concessions partner, SSA. Choose from classic
picnic specials, sandwich buffets, or cozy comfort foods. Don’t forget to add on savory sides, appetizers, or sweet treats too!
To learn more or start planning, contact SSA’s General Manager, Brandon Gervais (brandongervais@thessagroup.com)
today!
Choose your preferences below:____ I am most interested in designing a custom catering menu (the host pays for all guest meals).
____ I am most interested in paying to open the cafes for a baseline fee, and then allowing guests to purchase theirown meals from the cafes at the advertised prices. (The host pays to open and staff eateries, and guests have theoption to buy their own meals/snacks).
____ I am interested in serving alcohol at this event, which means hiring the zoo’s on-site caterer to open bars.
____ I do not want any catering services (additional fees and requirements may apply, consult Group Sales formore information).
Outside caterers and outside food are not permitted during evening events, but you are in good hands with SSA’s skilled chefs and culinary magicians!

Step 7:

Opening the Hasbro’s Our Big Backyard play area
(OPTIONAL)
Hasbro's Our Big Backyard, the CVS Health All Kids Can Treehouse, and the Beyond the Fence play zones area are greatfeatures for events welcoming families! The zoo would be happy to open this kid-centric play area for guests from 5:30 – 8
PM, at no added charge.
____ Yes, please open Big Backyard at no added charge!
____ No thank you, I do not need the Big Backyard opened.

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Group Sales Department
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 338 • GSales@rwpzoo.org

Step 8:Opening the gift shop
(OPTIONAL)
Discover the Wild is a beautiful zoo gift shop, filled with take-home treasures and souvenirs and located in Upper Zoo. The
zoo would be happy to open this shop for guests to browse from 5:30 – 8 PM, at no added charge.
____ Yes, please open Discover the Wild at no added charge!
____ No thank you, I do not want the gift shop opened.
Step 9:Reserving audio visual services(OPTIONAL)
Looking to enhance your event with audio-visual services? Request equipment here. Equipment is loaned for on-site use
on a first-come, first-served basis. A small flat-rate cost is applied to each reservation to cover set-up and technical support.
____ Yes, I would like to rent the zoo’s AV equipment for the evening. $200 flat-rate cost.
Please CIRCLE the services you require:
Microphone Speakers Podium Laptop Internet access (select areas only)
The host will need to provide a USB device with their files/presentation to the zoo at least 10 days before theevent. This is so the technicians can test/confirm compatibility. (We recommend adding this date to yourcalendars). Otherwise, do note that the zoo cannot confirm compatibility and will not be responsible. As youplan, please note the zoo is an outdoor, open-air venue and so it can be difficult to see presentations indaylight. It will also be difficult to showcase a projector-screen presentation to more than 80 guests at atime. A Group Sales representative will follow up with additional questions and confirmation that the services
you’ve requested will be available. Please wait for a confirmation that your requested equipment was
reserved.
____ No, I do not need AV equipment for my event.
Step 10:

Entry procedures(REQUIRED)
Roger Williams Park Zoo will staff check-in for your guests. Please choose one:____ I will provide a guest list of welcomed attendees.
RWPZ will only admit names on the guest list. The guest list should specify whether each attendee is an adult (ages 13 – 61), child (ages 2-12),senior (ages 62+), or toddler (age 1 and under). The guest list should include all event attendees, including but not limited to volunteers andevent coordinators. This guest list is due 7 days before the event, with your final headcount. Guests who are not included on the guest list will beturned away.

____ In lieu of providing a guest list, RWPZ will admit anyone who identifies as being part of this event.
RWPZ will admit anyone who identifies with the event (including event attendees, volunteers, and event coordinators). We will admit guests until
the maximum event capacity is reached and/or the catering order quantity is met. Once this quantity is met, all other guests will be turned away.

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Group Sales Department
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 338 • GSales@rwpzoo.org

Step 11:What hosts should know
(INFORMATION ONLY)
How much time do I have for setup?
•••

Hosts can arrive to the zoo for set up 30 minutes before the event begins (in this case, from 5 – 5:30 PM).
Hosts also have 30 minutes after the event ends to pack up (in this case, 8:30 – 9 PM).
We regret to say that hosts can’t access the zoo sooner, since zoo teams will be hard at work getting everything in place for your special
event!

What should I bring?
•••

Our happiest hosts let the zoo speak for itself! With our spacious and wild campus, there’s truly no need to fret about décor. However, if
personalizing the space is important to you, you can bring some branded signage or personal touches for the entrance’s check-in table., Just
keep in mind all signage should be grounded (no hanging banners), and don’t forget to bring sign weights to protect against wind gusts.
For the safety of your personal items, please be advised that zoo staff may not be authorized/permitted to transport items (especially valuable ordelicate items) through the zoo. This is to ensure all items reach their destination securely and to your satisfaction.
For animal safety reasons, balloons, confetti and pinatas are not allowed on zoo grounds. Alcohol is not permitted unless provided by SSA.

Mark your calendars! Upcoming due dates:••

TEN DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT:o Provide AV presentation on a USB drive (if AV services were selected)
ONE WEEK BEFORE THE EVENT:o Your final headcount, including an exact breakdown of adults and childreno Permission to provide the card on file for the remaining balance, due 1 week before the party. The final balance is calculated fromthese contract selections. If you do not have a card on file, you may add one or pay with cash or check.
o Separate catering/bar/cafe payments are typically due to SSA at this time.

Step 12:

Tips for all event attendees!
(INFORMATION ONLY)
Arrival information for all event attendees:•••

Guests can arrive to the zoo’s main entrance as early as 5:30 PM! The zoo is theirs to enjoy until 8:30 PM.
The zoo is largely an open-air outdoor venue, so please dress in tune with the forecast and wear comfortable shoes.
Guests will be walking throughout our large campus to enjoy all its features and exhibits. Attendees are welcome (and encouraged!) to bring
their own mobility aides. Do note that zoo wheelchairs (motorized or manual) and strollers are not rented during the evening hours. Zoo golf
carts are for staff and safety use only, so they would not be usable by guests/hosts.

Payment policies:
•
•
•

•

All payments are non-refundable. Events are non-reschedulable. Payments cannot be exchanged and/or applied to other zoo goods/services.
All events are scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Both a completed contract and the deposit payment are required before the zoo can book yourevent. Due to the high volume of requests, we cannot hold dates.
RWPZ understands there are times the host may have to cancel their celebration in advance. If you cancel at least 31 days before the event, you will not
get your non-refundable payments back, but you will not owe any other fees. If you cancel 30 days or less before your event, you will owe the full balance(as calculated by your contract choices). Hosts must pay the full balance via cash, check, or credit card within 3 days of cancellation or additional fees
accrue at a rate of $10/day.
Failure to pay the event in full can result in the zoo cancelling your experience. All checks are subject to a $25 returned check fee. Returned checks must
pay original balance plus fee within 24 hours of rejection, or they incur an additional fine of $10/day.

Encounter Policies:•

Encounters are booked on a first-come, first-serve basis. For health and safety reasons, encounters cannot take place unless and until all nearby food is
put away. Please note, due to current regulations, all encounters will be touchless for the safety of our guests, staff, and education ambassador animals. If
the temperatures are outside the 65°F - 80°F range, encounters will be cancelled or (when possible) relocated indoors. RWPZ reserves the right to cancel
any animal encounter at any time and for any reason, including but not limited to temperature. Some animal experiences may require visitors to wear
masks (regardless of vaccination status or medical condition).

Zoo Policies:•

During a nighttime rental, all zoo policies still apply, including but not limited to those posted on the website, zoo grounds, and relayed by any zoo
employee/representative. The zoo will require all events abide by the COVID policies in place at the time of their gathering.

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Group Sales Department
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 338 • GSales@rwpzoo.org•

Exhibit/animal availability can vary, and may not known in advance. As the zoo expands and adds new features, please be aware that construction canlimit some access. For animal safety, some animals may shift into their indoor areas for safety reasons, making them unviewable. Even if animals moveindoors and/or off-exhibit, general zoo grounds will still be open for your enjoyment. Refunds are not granted if exhibit(s) or area(s) are unavailable.

What is the zoo’s weather policy? What is its cancellation policy?
••

Events take place rain or shine, so you never have to worry about refunds or rescheduling! Our zoo is open for you.
While RWPZ makes every effort to carry out your event as planned, please note some arrangements may be weather-dependent and/or not available
year-round. Roger Williams Park Zoo will notify hosts of the cancelation or weather-dependent feature feasibility as soon as possible, but some decisions
may not be available until last-minute. RWPZ reserves the right to relocate or cancel any scheduled event and/or event features, especially but not
exclusively based on current or forecasted weather conditions. If RWPZ cancels your experience or event, you will have the option for a refund and/or
reschedule. Otherwise, all fees are non-refundable – including but not limited to the following: if a host cancels an event, and/or if the host cancels event
features and/or for any overpayments. The zoo doesn’t reschedule or extend events to accommodate traffic, crowds, walking delays, or any other reason.

Uncatered events and outside vendors/entertainment:••

Hosts must let us know at time of booking if they are not using SSA’s on-site catering services. Depending on their plans, additional fees may apply.
Preapproval from RWPZ is required for all arrangements beyond this contract, including outside vendors. This includes but is not limited to DJs, costumed
characters, entertainers, party planners, et cetera. Failure to notify zoo staff of outside vendors/entertainment at least 1 month before your event will resultin a $150 fine. At times, additional fees may be required of the client to offset staffing costs or custom needs. RWPZ will inform you of these costs once
your information is submitted and failure to pay these costs at least 7 days before the event will result in the zoo withdrawing approval. Due to logisticallimitations, outside catering services and outside food vendors are not permitted.

PAYING FOR YOUR EVENT:
By signing below, you agree to all site policies, event policies, and terms communicated throughout this document and otherwise.

Circle payment method:

Cash

Check

Credit Card

Cardholder Name: __________________________________________________________________________________
Card Number: __________ - __________ -__________ -__________
Expiration Date:________________

Security Code: ________________

Billing Zip: ________________

Signature: ___________________________________________ Date: ____________________________

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