We are going big because they are going home! To see the giant pandas off in style, the Smithsonian's National Zoo will host Panda Palooza, a nine-day celebration from Sept. 23 to Oct. 1, 2023, intended to engage audiences of all ages in a series of fun, family-friendly and conservation-forward events.

Panda Palooza programming will include hashtag-worthy photo backdrops, hands-on arts and crafts, 'Kids Area’ in the Great Meadow with a soft play section; chalkboard, coloring and stamping activities; morning family stretching and yoga along with panda talks, temporary tattoos, a conservation-themed scavenger hunt, live music concerts on the Mainstage by Lion Tiger Hill and free film screenings of "Kung Fu Panda" and "The Miracle Panda" in the Visitor Center Theater. In addition, zoo food and beverage vendors will offer panda-themed items, and tasty celebratory treats will be provided courtesy of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.