Eighth annual Reindeer Games to kick off Saturday at Chehaw

ALBANY – In the months after Hurricane Michael slammed into southwest Georgia in October 2018, Chehaw Park & Zoo felt that youngsters and their parents could use a little extra holiday cheer around Christmas time.

Out of that desire the Reindeer Games were born that year at the eighth annual games will be held on Saturday.

“We cleaned up fairly quickly and this was one of the first things we decided to do,” said Jackie Entz, director of education for the Artesian Alliance. “We decided we needed to do something for the community, and this was a really great way to participate.”

The 2025 games will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Chehaw, with plenty of activities for the family.

Among the animals featured will be the colobus monkeys, cheetahs, rhinos, black bears, coati, prairie dogs and lemurs. Among the activities will be feeding the rhinos and gingerbread house at the prairie dogs section.

A big focus will be on crafts, Entz said.

“Reindeer Games is a great family friendly event that is geared (with) the big factor is a lot of the crafts and the games,” she said. “We will have minute-to-win-it games and give prizes.

“There will be holiday crafting so all the kids can give parents, friends and grandparents great gifts for underneath the tree.”

The event is free with park admission. Participation usually is between 200 to 400, Entz said.

“No holiday themed event is complete without toasting marshmallows and hot chocolate, so we’ll have that,” she said. “The kids get to play games and the animals get to play games as part of their enrichment.”