ROYAL OAK, Mich., September 21, 2006 – It’s time to don the lederhosen and polish the steins for the fourth annual OktoberFest at the Detroit Zoo October 6 to 8.  The three-day celebration features German-style food, live entertainment, children’s activities and a beer garden for adults by Atwater Block Brewery.  The event times for OktoberFest are Friday, October 6, 6 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, October 7, noon to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, October 8, noon to 5 p.m.

The scents of delicious German fare will fill the air as Zoo chefs prepare and serve such delectable dishes as Bavarian pretzels, bratwurst, potato pancakes and Black Forest torte.  Performances by the Dave Slivinksi Band, Die Rhinelanders, Soregnbrecher, and the Oehrlein Bavarian Dancers will keep visitors entertained throughout the weekend.  Entrance to the OktoberFest Village is free with regular Zoo admission from noon to 5 p.m.  After 5 p.m., admission is $5 per person, ages 2 and older. 

OktoberFest is a celebration for the entire family, and fun-filled activities for children abound.  A children’s play area opens at noon on Saturday and Sunday, with face painting, crafts, pumpkin decorating, a giant slide, a straw maze, and an inflatable obstacle course to entertain the young and young at heart.  The children’s area is open noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday; admission is $5 in addition to regular Zoo admission. 

The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo.  Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak.  The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October – with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August – and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March.  Admission is $11.00 for adults 13 to 61, $9.00 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7.00 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free.  For more information, call (248) 398-0900 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.  The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March, and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056. 
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