2023 Event Calendar for the World Lemur Festival

Thank you for celebrating lemurs with us for the 2023 World Lemur Festival and on World Lemur Day, Friday October 27, 2023!

• Email us to have your event added to this calendar
• View participation guide
• View social media guide

Events with the Lemur Conservation Network

Trivia Night in Washington DC on October 25 from 7 to 10pm

• Join us upstairs at Solly’s Tavern for bar trivia, with bonus questions about lemurs! Chat with LCN’s Director, Lynne Venart, to learn more about our work!
• Solly’s is donating 10% of bar sales to the Lemur Conservation Network, and we will have our new lemur card games and individual memberships for sale. Win raffle prizes from Fruition Chocolate Works, Beyond Good, Endangered Species Chocolate, Farm to Feast Catering, Boredwalk, Sockfly,  Re:wild and more!
• Download PDF of flyer

National Lemur Day in Maromizaha, Madagascar

• LCN’s Madagascar Manager, Seheno Corduant-Andriantsaralaza, will represent LCN at the National Lemur Day in Moromizaha. She’ll be holding educational activities with kids in the region and sharing our work at a booth.

Mariarano, Madagascar

• LCN volunteer and PhD student, Coral Chell, will hold a World Lemur Festival event with the VOI (community association) in Mariarano in October.

Minnesota Zoo, USA

• On Friday, October 27, LCN’s social media lead, Laura Hemlock, will be celebrating World Lemur Day at the Minnesota Zoo, where she volunteers!

Madagascar

National Lemur Day

• Friday, October 27 from 07 am to 5 pm in Maromizaha
• Led by the Ministry of Environment and the Regional Direction Services of the Environment in Andasibe
• Hosted by GERP, with participation from the Lemur Conservation Network and other LCN members
• The celebration will include a Maromizaha forest visit, Carnival, booth exhibition, and animation outreach activities with kids.

SAVA Region

The Duke Lemur Center is holding several events in the northeast SAVA region in partnership with many organizations and community groups:

• October 26: Parade with the high school environmental club of Sambava
• October 27: School visit to the Macolline Botanical Park in Antalaha focusing on lemurs, which will also have a livestream component on Exploring by the Seat of your Pants
• October 20: Event in partnership with WWF, featuring parade, speeches and presentations, participation by local conservation organizations and researchers studying lemurs in COMATSA, held in the rural town of Antanambe, Andapa district
• November 10: Event in partnership with 14 different collaborating organizations with parade, speeches, presentations, dance, videos about lemurs of SAVA and sustainability projects, music and poetry contests, question/answer sessions with prizes, and a concert featuring local artists. This will be held in the rural commune of Marovato in the Andapa district.

Community Tree Planting with Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership

• Friday, October 27 in Kianjavato, Andavakoera (site of the Northern Sportive Lemur), and Ihofa Vatotsara Bioreserve (field station in Andasibe)

Mariarano

• LCN volunteer and PhD student, Coral Chell, will hold a World Lemur Festival event with the VOI (community association) in Mariarano in October.

Centre ValBio, Ranomafana

• Celebrations will be held on October 27th, 2023 from 7:30am- 4:00pm at Centre ValBio, Ranomafana
• Activities will be held for 100 students from Androy primary schools and Lycée Ifanadiana, including a visit to Ranomafana National Park, face painting and watercolor painting, a lemur documentary viewing, and a talent show.

Reniala Reserve, Toliara

• Celebrations at the Lemur Rescue Center and Reniala Reserve

Online

Duke Lemur Center

• Live from Madagascar with James Herrera and Duke Lemur Center
  October 27, 2023, 9:00 am to 9:45 am EST
  In this presentation from Madagascar, James Herrera will share what the Duke Lemur Center is doing about lemur conservation. We’ll hear about lemurs in the rainforests, and the people who are working to save them. To save biodiversity also means working closely with local people to help develop sustainable livelihoods.

Lemur Conservation Foundation

• October 23 to 27, online
• Event week will be packed with fun activities and engaging educational opportunities, including:
  • Lemur trivia contests with prizes
  • Voting for the community favorite artist
  • An interactive parade
  • Daily surprises
• Enter our 50/50 Red Ruffed Raffle for your chance to win HALF THE JACKPOT and other exciting prizes!

Mongabay Kids

• Find fun activities on Mongabay Kids for the World Lemur Festival!

North America

Houston Zoo

• Sunday October 22
  • Jump over to the Houston Zoo on Sunday, October 22, for our annual World Lemur Festival! Our year-round Zoo Crew teens will be hosting fun activities for all ages, such as scavenger hunts, games, a dance party from 1:30-2:00 p.m., and even a “We Love Lemurs” parade from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m.
  • Dressing up as your favorite lemur is encouraged, just in time for Halloween!
• Join us at the parade to meet our lemur-saving partner from Madagascar, Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafy, and learn about what Houston Zoo’s partners are doing to save lemurs in the wild in Madagascar.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Washington D.C.

• October 27 World Lemur Day Celebrations
• 10am-1pm: Tables with activities set up outside of Lemur Island
  11:30am: Lemur training demo at Lemur Island (weather permitting)
  2pm: Daily Demo at Small Mammal House – Lemur Edition

AAZK San Francisco Chapter, California

• October 24 Hop for Lemurs
• Hop for Lemurs! Please join the American Association of Zoo Keepers San Francisco Chapter for Hop for Lemurs at Pedro Point Brewing for World Lemur day!
  We will have a silent auction and a special zoo brew for the night. All proceeds will go to lemur conservation through Lemur Love, Inc.! Event will start at 9pm.

Houston Interactive Zoo and Animal Preserve, Texas

• October 24 through October 31 World Lemur Festival and Fundraiser
• Lemur Encounters (ruffed lemurs, ring-tailed lemurs and common brown lemurs)
• Educational Booth, Lemur Paintings, Roses for Ruffs, Raffle

Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota

• Friday, October 27 World Lemur Day
• Education table next to the lemur exhibit with lemur activities, biofacts, and interpretation of the lemurs while on habitat. 
• Social media links 
  • Minnesota Zoo Home – Minnesota Zoo (mnzoo.org)
    
  • Facebook
  • Minnesota Zoo (@mnzoo) • Instagram photos and videos
  • Minnesota Zoo (@mnzoo) / X (twitter.com)

North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, North Carolina

• Saturday October 21 & Friday October 27: Lemur Night at the Museum

Duke University, North Carolina

• Friday October 27: Trivia Night

Miller Park Zoo, Illinois

• Saturday October 28
• Play a game to learn about lemurs.
• Create a lemur button craft.
• Enjoy keeper talks to learn about conservation and illegal pet trade issues.

Lee Richardson Zoo, Kansas

• World Lemur Day event on Sunday October 29th, 2pm – 4pm
• Keeper chat and a discovery cart
• Matching game of items to lemur adaptations

Potter Park Zoo, Michigan

• World Lemur Day Extravaganza!
  October 27, 12:30 – 2 pm
  Get ready for an afternoon of high-flying excitement as our lemurs swing, leap, and play with special enrichment activities. Explore the jungle of knowledge at our Conservation Tables, where you can learn all about these captivating creatures and how you can help protect them! Best of all, this wild adventure is INCLUDED with your admission! It’s education, entertainment, and enchantment rolled into one unforgettable event. Perfect for families and wildlife enthusiasts of all ages!

Brandywine Zoo, Delaware

• Saturday October 28 and Sunday October 29
• Lemur themed story time @ 11am
• Photos with our lemur mascot after story time
• Lemur activities and crafts
• Lemur talks
• Most activities will take place in our Madagascar pavilion.

Little Rock Zoo, Arkansas

• October 28: World Lemur Day activities
  9 am – 4 pm, included with general admission

Blank Park Zoo, Iowa

• November 19: Discover the Wild Day for Lemurs
  Discover, Connect and Take Action for the lemurs in our care, the conservation organization we support, an understanding of what we do at the zoo to care for lemurs, and how AZA organizations work together for the survival of the species.

Woodland Park Zoo, Washington

• October 27th 9:30 am-3:00 pm: Activities in Zoomazium

Audubon Zoo, Louisiana

Europe and the U.K.

Les Terres de Nataé, France

Oxford Brookes University, UK

• October 31st Celebrating World Lemur Day 
  10am-4pm in The Forum at Headington Campus:
  Meet lemur researchers and find out about our work in Madagascar

  Buy beautiful crafts and posters to fund equipment for our Malagasy field team

Peak Wildlife Park, UK

• October 28-29: Lemur Weekend
  Join our zookeepers for a fun filled weekend with lemur themed games, merchandise and lemur themed treats! We will celebrate all our lemur species at the Park whilst raising vital funds and awareness for SEED, a charity devoted to restoring the island; Madagascar. This weekend will be part of your general admissions ticket and you will not require an additional ticket to enjoy our animal weekend.

Shepreth Wildlife Park, UK

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, UK

• Battesea Park Children’s Zoo will host a special fundraising stall to support Lemur Love.

Blair Drummond Safari Park, UK

• October 28 and 29: World Lemur Festival!
  • Lemur-Themed Activities: Enjoy interactive and fun activities for all ages, from colouring to crafts.
  • Inspiring Stories: Join us in our Safari Marquee for some delightful storytelling sessions.
  • Educational Displays: Explore the significance of lemur conservation and their role in Madagascar’s biodiversity.
  • Games: Test your lemur-like abilities with our fun games.
  • Win great prizes: You could be in with a chance to get your hands on some bespoke artwork by Arla Kean, a mini experience with our lemur keepers, and other lemur-themed goodies.
• Supporting Conservation with Feedback Madagascar

ASLM Lemuriens, Valenciennes, France

• Celebration of the World Lemur Festival and educational activities with ASLM LEMURIENS in various schools in the Valenciennes region

Zagreb Zoo, Croatia

• 23 – 27 October – a lemur-themed art competition! We have asked our social media followers to submit photographs and drawings of lemurs. The winner, chosen by our staff members, will receive two tickets to the Zagreb Zoo.
• 27 October, 10 am to 12 pm (CET) – a fun and educational workshop for children! This will include making lemur masks, colouring lemur-themed colouring sheets and making ringtailed lemur paper tails. There will also be a lemur mascot present.
• 27 October, 11 am (CET) – a public feeding of black-and-white ruffed lemurs (by their caretaker Valentino Macan), and a short educational talk by Dr Elena Račevska. Live stream will be available at the Zagreb Zoo’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
• Online resources:
  23 – 27 October – daily lemur fun facts published on our social media
  26 October – an article by Dr Elena Račevska about her life in Madagascar

Asia

Tokiwa Zoo

• October: World Lemur Festival Activities
• Lemur Bingo! – Bingo on lemur ecology and conservation.
  10/28 & 10/29 13:00-13:30
• Baby ring-tailed lemur’s Name voting & Naming ceremony
  Voting: 10/1-10/15
  Ceremony: 10/29 13:30
• Charity T-shirts Sale – Profits donated to Nihon Ayeaye Fund.

Japan Monkey Center

• World Lemur Festival
• October 14 13:00 to 14:00
  Who are you, little fella?
  Let’s try to identify JMC’s ring-tailed lemurs! Keepers will teach you
  the individual identification techniques.
• October 22 13:00
  Lemur Quiz competition – Lemur championship playoffs 2023!!!
• September 30 – December 3
  Puzzlemur!!! – Challenge the lemur themed quizzes, riddles and puzzles!
• September 30 – December 29
  Lemur themed stamp rally – **What is a “Stamp Rally”? It is a course where you visit different locations in order to collect stamps. It is a lot of fun!

Social Media

Conservation Organizations

• Madagascar Ministry of the Environment
• Lemur Conservation Network
• Madagascar Lemurs Portal
• WWF Madagascar
• Fanamby
• FAPBM
• Conservation International Madagascar
• Lemur Love

Zoos

• Zagreb Zoo’s Facebook and Instagram
• Brandywine Zoo
• Minnesota Zoo