“Bear Down, Chicago Bears” blared through the park, fans showed up in team gear, and somewhere between the cheese piñatas and the zoo chats, the idea took hold that good vibes couldn’t hurt.
The Bears hadn’t even kicked off yet, but Brookfield Zoo Chicago was already in game mode.
Saturday, Jan. 10, stayed gray and damp, a light drizzle hanging around and, at times, flirting with snowflakes. It never turned into a real downpour. With fewer people moving through the zoo, the animals seemed comfortable staying out. Wolves were active. Bears lingered in their habitats. Guests took their time.
Hours later, that same hang-in-there energy showed up on the field. Against Green Bay, the Bears entered the fourth quarter trailing, then erupted for 25 points. Broadcasters called it a rare comeback.
Earlier that day at the zoo, the Bears-themed pregame was already in motion.
Guests arrived early, some in jerseys and winter hats, others just curious. Free stickers were handed out at the gates. Football hype music throughout the park. Animal care experts led bear-focused chats as people gathered near habitats to watch, listen, and ask questions.
At the polar bear habitat, the theme turned literal.
Keepers brought out a cheese-shaped piñata stuffed with treats and hung it inside the habitat. Polar bears Hope and Hudson didn’t need much encouragement. They went straight for it, batting the piñata around until it broke open and treats scattered across, drawing cheers from guests lined up along the railings.
Amelia Gray, who joined the zoo in September, didn’t jump into the piñata action, but she stayed active. With the habitat calmer than usual, Amelia took several laps through the water, circling the space and showing off her swimming skills as visitors tracked her from one side of the habitat to the other.
Zoo staff said Saturday marked the first time they paired a Bears-themed celebration with animal enrichment like the cheese piñata.
Between exhibits, guests also learned just how many bears call Brookfield Zoo Chicago home: two brown bears, three polar bears, and two sloth bears, each with their own routines and personalities.
The zoo’s brown bears, Tim and Jess, drew their own crowd as guests gathered nearby during the Bears-themed celebration. Fans could symbolically adopt the sibling bears for $18 in honor of quarterback Caleb Williams, and many stuck around to watch.
While Tim and Jess eat the same food and follow the same routines, keepers said their personalities are noticeably different.
“Tim will eat just about anything you give him,” one keeper said. “Jess wants to know what you’re doing first.”
Staff also explained that while brown bears don’t fully hibernate, colder months bring changes in behavior, including more bedding and longer rest periods.
For some guests, the Bears-themed day felt like the right kind of superstition.
Alexis Lopez and James Eck said they decided to come after seeing the event details and thinking it couldn’t hurt.
“I sent it to him and was like, ‘Can we go?’” Lopez said. “At first he hesitated, but then he was like, ‘No, we have to bring good luck to the Bears.’”
When asked what kind of energy they hoped to send, Eck didn’t overthink it.
“Just good vibes,” he said. “Strong vibes. Confident vibes.”
Families with young kids hovered nearby, many more interested in the animals than playoff implications. After watching a bear eat cheese, 5-year-old Jamie summed it up quickly.
“Go Bears,” he said.
Even beyond the bear habitats, the theme carried through the zoo. At Dolphin Bay, dolphins Noelani and Allison took part in a football-themed dance-off, leaping from the water and catching footballs in their mouths.
Between the bears, the dolphins, and the fans willing to try just about anything, the zoo spent the morning putting some good juju into the air.
Julianne Olivo, director of Public Relations at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, said the goal of the day went beyond football.
“We hope guests feel the same sense of tradition the Chicago Bears have in this community,” Olivo said. “And when they’re watching the game tonight, we hope they think of Tim and Jess, our brown bears here at the zoo.”
