For those of us that fall under the “local media” umbrella, the best press releases that fill up our in-boxes each day seem to come from the people at Woodland Park Zoo. Sometimes they send photos of zoo animals cheering on the Seahawks. Other times, like yesterday, they let you know about how they are holding a contest for the chance to buy animal excrement, as part of the occasional “Fecal Fest” event. The e-mail’s subject line was “The Price of Poo: Fall Fecal Fest begins at Woodland Park Zoo.” Even better were the puns. I think it might set a local record for most feces-related puns without using the word “shit.” Here’s the full press release:
WHAT:
Get your hands on the most desired poop in Seattle. Woodland Park Zoo’s fall Fecal Fest is right around the corner. The annual poop event attracts local gardeners to enter a bid to purchase the exotic, highly-coveted Zoo Doo and Bedspread that Dr. Doo, also known as the “Prince of Poo,” the “GM of BM” or the “Grand Poopah,” has been piling all summer.
Pick up where the animals left off. Zoo Doo is the richest, most prized compost in the Pacific Northwest. Composed of species feces contributed by the zoo’s non-primate herbivores such as elephants, hippos, giraffes and more, Zoo Doo is perfect to grow your veggies and annuals.
Bedspread, the zoo’s premium composted mulch, is a combination of Zoo Doo, sawdust, and large amounts of wood chips. Bedspread is used to cushion perennial beds and woody landscapes including rose beds, shrubs and pathways.
HOW:
Due to the high desirability of Zoo Doo, gardening fans must enter a lottery to win the chance to purchase Zoo Doo or Bedspread. An online form is available to enter at zoo.org/fecalfest beginning August 18. Only one entry per person is eligible for each drawing.
Entries will be selected randomly for as many entrants possible, and only selected entries will be contacted. Phone and mail orders are not accepted.
WHEN:
Entries accepted August 18-September 7
Pick-up dates take place September 20-October 2
PRICES:
Zoo Doo and Bedspread: Pick-up truck 8×4 bed: $60; 6×4 bed: $45; 6×3 bed: $35. Limit one full truck per person. Garbage cans: $8 to $10 depending on size; bags: $4 to $6 depending on size. Pint-sized buckets are available anytime at the ZooStore $4.95.
Being that I can occasionally be a smartass on Twitter (and because I get so many press releases for parties/concerts, particularly in the summer), I tweeted this:
Obviously I'm disappointed that @woodlandparkzoo's Fecal Fest doesn't include a big party: http://t.co/PCC5qzW9Tt
— Chris Boo!-rlingame (@chrisburlingame) August 13, 2014
The zoo wrote back shortly after that, and got me pretty good:
@chrisburlingame What you do with your Zoo Doo after the #FecalFest lottery is your business. ;-)
— Woodland Park Zoo (@woodlandparkzoo) August 13, 2014
It even prompted the very funny ladies at Seattlish to hashtag it:
#PooParty RT @woodlandparkzoo: @chrisburlingame What you do with your Zoo Doo after the #FecalFest lottery is your business. ;-)
— Seattlish (@seattlish) August 13, 2014
…and here’s a helpful video called “What happens to all that poo at the zoo?”
