By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Dec 16, 2020 at 2:05 PM

As a way to say thank you to its patrons, the Milwaukee County Zoo hosts its annual Frosty Free Week – offering free admission to all – from Dec. 26 until Dec. 31.

Parking and concession fees still apply, but free admission means you can bundle up and social distance in one of the safest places you can be ... outdoors!

While you’re there you’ll still see plenty of animals, including the otters in the relatively new Otter Passage exhibit.

You’ll also likely get the chance to see the polar bears and even 7-month-old snow leopard Milja, whose body is perfectly adapted to weather the Wisconsin winter.

Although the zoo is subject to limited attendance capacity, reservations are not required during Frosty Free Week.

The milwaukeezoo.org is open daily from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

I’ll head over there at 10:30 a.m. on Friday for my weekly Facebook live Milwaukee Walk. That’ll offer you a preview of what you might see when you visit, or if you can’t visit, you can enjoy it through the lens of my phone in the comfort of your own home.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.