It’s All Happening at the L.A. Zoo

When the folks at the Los Angeles Zoo decided to celebrate the holidays, they decided to include some of their charges too. No, no hippos at the office party. This is a separate-but-equal celebration for the zoo’s resident primates. Today through Monday, zoo keepers will be treating them to parties in their exhibit areas.

Beginning at 10 a.m. today, the staff will decorate the woolly monkey exhibit area for a party, stringing cranberries across tree branches, putting out popcorn and peanut balls, adding festive touches with hibiscus flowers. They haven’t forgotten presents for the guests of honor; rag dolls and rawhide treats. At 11 a.m., the monkeys will be brought in from their overnight holding area, and visitors can watch them discover these once-a-year treats.

On Sunday, the party moves on to the siamang and gibbon exhibit, and Monday it will be the gorillas’ turn.

The zoo will keep regular hours all weekend (10 a.m.-5 p.m.), including New Year’s Day. In addition to the primate parties, there will be bird shows at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 3 p.m. each day in the Wildlife Theater, and Wild in the City shows at Adventure Island at 11 a.m. and 1 and 3:30 p.m. each day. Wild in the City focuses on animals, such as opossums and coyotes, that live in our midst.

Admission is $5.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors over 65, $2.25 for children ages 2 to 12. Information: (213) 666-4650.

NUTCRACKER ON STRINGS

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater version of “The Nutcracker” features 100 string puppets in a one-hour musical adaptation of the holiday classic. Mice puppets scamper on visitors’ laps and black-clad puppeteers are in full view of the audience, so that youngsters can watch how it all comes together. Afterward, the audience is invited backstage for a 15-minute guided tour and refreshments in the party room. Today’s performance begins at 2:30 p.m. The theater is at 1345 W. 1st St., downtown Los Angeles. Tickets are $7. Call ahead for reservations: (213) 250-9995.

NEW YEAR’S WORKSHOP

Today and Sunday, participants in the drop-in workshops at the Los Angeles Children’s Museum will make New Year’s noisemakers to take home with them. Digging into the museum’s ample stock of recycled materials, staffers will provide advice and artistic suggestions. The workshops will be held throughout both days during museum hours, which are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Also, the final performances of “The Accordions of Castelfidardo” will be at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. today. The museum is at 310 N. Main St. Admission is $4. Information: (213) 687-8801.

DINOSAUR DAYS

This is a great weekend to mosey down to the Natural History Museum for a look at a return engagement of Dinosaurs!, an exhibit of 13 real-enough-thank-you dinosaurs from the Kokoro master animators of Japan. The Tyrannosaurus rex is 15-feet tall--and moving. A mommy Triceratops tends her young. The Robosaur is a stripped-down Apatosaurus with a driver’s seat for pint-sized folks to work the controls. General admission is $5, $3 for senior citizens and students 12-17, $1 for children ages 5-12. This exhibit has been very popular, so if you want to get tickets in person, be at the box office at 10 a.m. Or order tickets by phone, (213) 744-6292, or through Ticketmaster, (213) 480-3232.