The meerkats are back! These eight have arrived from Point Defiance Zoo, four male, four female, and they definitely packed their charisma and curiosity with them. Tomorrow, May 1, Woodland Park Zoo is celebrating their arrival–and the grand opening of a new West Entrance–with six hours of festivities, including music by CocoLoco, giveaways, photo opportunities with a costumed meerkat mascot, meerkat mask-making, and meerkat keeper talks at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Things kick off at 9:30 a.m. and go until 3:30 p.m. 

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The 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony for the West Entrance brings a host of dignitaries: U.S. Representative Jim McDermott (D-Seattle), Seattle Mayor Michael McGinn, Seattle City Council member Sally Bagshaw, Bank of America Washington Market President Peter Joers, Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO Dr. Deborah Jensen, and Woodland Park Zoo Board of Directors Chair and Co-chair of the Penguin/West Entrance Initiative, Cam Ragen. 

The West Entrance is really a new, 58,000-square-foot complex, with a commons area for head-counting and ticket booths, family restrooms, member and guest services, a second ZooStore location, and–later this summer–a Caffé Vita coffee cart.