Feast with the Beast
Thanksgiving at Plumpton Park Zoo
Watch our wolves, white lions, bears and tigers dig into a holiday meal of their own, one feeding at a time, at Plumpton Park Zoo in Rising Sun, Maryland.
11-28-2026
The animals get a holiday meal too
You bring the appetite for fun. Our keepers bring the feast.
Every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Feast with the Beast lets you watch the animals get a holiday meal of their own.
The feedings run on a set schedule through the day, so you can plan your visit around the animals you most want to see, then walk on to the next one. In between, there are more than 200 animals to meet, and on weekends you can feed a giraffe yourself.
The zoo is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, 11-26-2026. Feast with the Beast is the zoo’s way to celebrate the holiday with you.
One of our white lions with an enrichment ball.
Feast with the Beast feeding schedule
Our keepers are setting this year’s feeding times now, and they will be posted right here as soon as they are set. The Arctic wolves, white lions, bears and tigers each get their own feeding through the day, so check back here to plan your visit around the ones you most want to see.
Zoo hours are 10 AM to 5 PM, last admission 4 PM.
Meet the guests of honor
days a year our keepers feed the animals, holidays included.
Every meal is someone’s job
The zoo closes to visitors on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but the animals still eat. Every one of our more than 200 animals gets food, care and enrichment every day of the year from the keepers who know them best.
Plumpton Park Zoo is a nonprofit. Admission, memberships and gifts are what keep those meals coming.
Plan your Feast with the Beast visit
Give the animals something to be thankful for
Food, vet care and enrichment for more than 200 animals add up every single day. Plumpton Park Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and gifts are tax-deductible.
Feast with the Beast questions
When is Feast with the Beast 2026?
Saturday, 11-28-2026. It is always on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Feeding times will be posted on this page.
Do I need a separate ticket for Feast with the Beast?
No. Feast with the Beast is included with your regular zoo admission.
Is Plumpton Park Zoo open on Thanksgiving Day?
No. The zoo is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, 11-26-2026, and on Christmas Day. It is open every other day of the year.
Can members come to Feast with the Beast?
Yes. Members visit free all year; just check in at admissions.
Can we feed the giraffes while we are there?
Yes. Giraffe feedings run at 11 AM and 1 PM on weekends and at noon on weekdays, $5 at the feeding station, cash or card, weather and giraffes permitting.
Where is Plumpton Park Zoo?
1416 Telegraph Rd, Rising Sun, Maryland 21911, in Cecil County, an easy drive from Baltimore, Wilmington, Newark and southern Pennsylvania. Parking is free.
Spend Thanksgiving weekend with the animals
Come for the feedings, stay for the giraffes, sloths and more than 200 animals. While you are here, feed a giraffe and see what else is on our events page.