No matter how much we try to get ready, it's going to be tough saying goodbye to the giant pandas at the National Zoo.
The three pandas, 25-year-old Mei Xiang, 26-year-old Tian Tian and 3-year-old Xiao Qi Ji will be returned to China at the end of this year.
But, before leaving for the China Wildlife Conservation Association, the pandas are getting a massive farewell party.
The National Zoo is hosting Panda Palooza: A Giant Farewell, a nine-day series of free events in honor of the pandas, from Sept. 23 to Oct. 1. Here's the schedule.
The zoo opens at 8 a.m. for the first day of festivities on Saturday, and zookeepers will give the pandas celebratory fruitsicle cakes at 9 a.m.
Throughout Panda Palooza, there will be a range of panda-themed activities, such as arts and crafts for kids, photo ops, scavenger hunts, live concerts, morning family stretching and yoga along with panda talks, and even screenings of "Kung Fu Panda" and "The Miracle Club" in the Visitor Center Theater.
"In addition, zoo food and beverage vendors will offer panda-themed items, and tasty celebratory treats will be provided courtesy of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China," the zoo said.
How to get tickets for Panda Palooza at the National Zoo
Timed-entry passes are required to enter the National Zoo, including during Panda Palooza. They're free, and you can get them online.
Zoo passes are released on a rolling schedule. Passes are released four weeks before each entry date, then more are set to become available at midnight one week out, the day before and the day of.
Those who cannot attend in person can tune in through the Giant Panda Cam for special moments.
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived from China in 2000, and over the years delighted D.C. with many cute moments, birthday celebrations with fruitsicle cakes and their four surviving cubs: Xiao Qi Ji, Bei Bei, Bao Bao and Tai Shan.
The pandas aren't owned by the zoo. They're on loan from China under an agreement that's expired.
Zoo Director Brandie Smith Smith is "optimistic" about pandas returning to the National Zoo, though an exact timeline isn't clear, yet.
According to the National Zoo, all three giant pandas that currently call D.C. home will leave by Dec. 7.
“Millions have connected with and grown up loving Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cubs by visiting us in Washington, D.C., and watching our Giant Panda Cam,” said zoo director Brandie Smith. “Although this farewell is bittersweet, we must celebrate these bears and their impact on fans and on our understanding, care and conservation of their species.”
To learn more about the event check out their website. And yes, there is plenty of panda merch to commemorate the moment.
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