ZOOFanatika 2024
 11th year of Slavic meeting of zoo-materials collectors and zoo-fans

WHEN AND WHERE
from 12th to 14th April 2024 in National Zoo Bojnice (www.zoobojnice.sk).
 

ARRIVAL BY CAR
the zoo does not have its own parking lot (and you cannot drive directly to the entrance) - parking is required at the hotel or in official city parking lots. There are quite a few of them (the closest one is right behind the castle), but all of them are paid. Free parking is apparently only at the cemetery and the Church of St. Martin of Tours (by the post office) - viz. parking map below.
Arrival to unload materials for the swapping is only possible on Saturday - see details below (paragraph Collector's swapping).
 

ARRIVAL BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
If you have not your own car, it is best to agree with some of the other participants who will come by car (from Prague for example) - it can be done for example through Facebook of ZOOfanatika.
Train / bus: the nearest train and bus station is in Prievidza, but there are not many direct long-distance connections from the Czech Republic. By train, you have to change trains usually several times (in Púchov and Trenčín, in Vrútky, in Žilina, in Bratislava and Trnava, etc.). By bus, the situation is a little easier.
From Prague - there is the only direct bus connection (Flixbus - www.flixbus.cz) - at 6:35 a.m. from Prague Florenc (the journey takes 7 hours and costs CZK 429).
From Brno - the only direct bus connection is 4 times a week from ÚAN Zvonařka at 15:40, the journey takes 4 hours and 5 minutes (Kmko logis), but there are many bus and train connections with a transfer in Bratislava.
From Olomouc or Ostrava (ie from Poland) - you can get there by bus or train (or a combination) with a transfer in Žilina or Vrútky.
For other connections, see IDOS.

From Prievidza to Bojnice - public transport buses, line 3 run Prievidza bus station to Bojnice square - approx. 1 connection per hour, journey takes 12 minutes - see timetable. It takes about 8 minutes to walk from Bojnice aquare to the zoo.

ENTRY TO THE ZOO AND REGISTRATION
Registration will take place in the zoo's lecture hall, where everyone will receive an identification tag. The lecture hall is located just in front of the zoo ticket office (on the left), so it is possible to enter without a ticket. From the front door of the building, the way to the hall will be marked with "ZooFanatika" signs.

Movement through the main ticket office will be possible only with a tag (= only after registration).
 

PRICE
The fee per person is € 32 and includes one joint dinner, a toast, basic refreshments during the entire program (coffee, tea, bottled water, cookies, bars, chips, etc.), a cup, overhead and other costs (identification tags, printing, etc.) .). In addition, it is necessary to mention the free entry to the zoo for all three days, a significant discount on meals and other above-standard services. Last year's participants will receive a postcard with a joint photo.

The table for changing materials is paid extra - full table € 3,60. Another option is only half table for € 2.
Payment: by bank transfer (see info in the application form), foreigners (including Slovaks) will pay on the place in cash - in Euros.
 

REGISTERING
You can register and order all else (i.e. meals and table for swapping) by one PDF form. Only to fill out and send it to the e-mail (contact in the form) suffices. Save filled out application form under your name in the shape family_firstname.pdf (details in the application form). One application is required for each participant.
Dead line for the registering is 5th April 2024!!!

Download the PDF application form if you didn't get it by e-mail (right click on the link and save as...).
Note: if you can not to open the PDF file, it is probably because the maker canceled some extensions for Acrobat Reader (i.e. the free version), but it can be filled out via an internet browser... Open the pdf application form in an internet browser - right-click and select "open in program", then select your browser (all of them should work). If your browser is in the list of programs, find item "choose another application" in the bottom. Don't forget to save the completed pdf file on your computer after filling it out.
 

ACCOMMODATION
everyone has to arrange their own accommodation - there are many options in Bojnice, but you need to book a hotel in advance (before the season). Choose a hotel that has its own parking and is not far from the zoo so that it is possible to walk to the zoo..
 

MEALS
all catering will take place in the lecture hall at the zoo.
Joint dinner and toast on Friday: included in the price (in the ZOOFanatika fee), including a toast, which will be directed by us - alcoholic and non-alcoholic sparkling wine (until all bottles are consumed).
Breakfast: most of the participants will probably have breakfast at the hotel, for the others breakfast will be under our direction in the lecture hall - depending on what we buy in the store (probably pastries, smoked meat products, maybe cooked sausages, cheese, fruit, yogurt, etc. + coffee / tea). Price: € 3.
Lunches and dinners: all lunches (including soup) and dinners will be delivered by Slávia Catering directly to the lecture hall, so there will be no possibility to re-order or cancel the meal (think carefully and choose in time - see menu). In the case of a diet or request for a vegetarian meal, it is possible to change lunch or dinner, but the request must be reported in advance when sending the order (in that case it will not be possible to choose - I will report e.g. 1 vegetarian meal and 1 gluten-free diet and they will bring the corresponding meal in same price). Price: € 6,50 for lunch (including soup) or dinner.
To be safe, take cutlery and a spoon with you.

How to order food: by applying to ZOOfanatika (it will not work on the spot even in exceptional cases!!!)
Other snacks: cookies, bars, chips, etc. will be available non-stop for free, as well as coffee, tea and soft drinks. Everyone receives a cup for non-alcoholic drink during registration (one for all 3 days).
 

SCHEDULE
the program will be interesting again, none of the traditional points are missing - there are 10 lectures, a collector's exchange, auction, guided tour of the zoo (including background of the elephant house), a lecture and discussion with an important figure in zoology (Ing. Vladimír Šrank - former longtime director of the Bojnice Zoo). See complete schedule.
Start: Friday 12th April 2024 - arrival and registration between 9.⁰⁰ and 10.⁰⁰ (program since 10.⁰⁰)
End: Sunday 14th April 2024 - departure around 12.⁴⁵ or 13.⁴⁵ (in case of visiting Botany Park).
 

COLLECTOR'S SWAPPING:
will take place in the lecture hall (no. 1 in map). Anyone can go and see or buy, but selling or swapping can only those who have paid for a table (€ 3,60) or half a table (€ 2). To unload and load materials, it is possible to drive into the zoo, but only on Saturdays and only until 8.30. In this case, drive your car to the freight gate of the zoo (no. 3 in the map) in Rekreačná Street (through no entry sign) and further through the grounds along the route marked on the map below - past the enclosures of wading birds, raptors and owls to the side entrance of the lecture hall (in front of directorate). Unfortunately, it's up to the last floor from here, so we'll try to get a hand truck. However, this cannot be relied on yet, so smaller boxes are more suitable.
After unloading, immediately return the car to the freight parking lot (at the freight gate) - it can stay there until the evening. After the end of the auction, cars are no longer allowed in the zoo - everything will be taken by zoo electric cars (or similar) to the freight parking lot.
The capacity of the freight parking lot is very limited (and employees also park here), so try (especially small collectors) to arrange with someone to transport materials together in one car.
 

AUCTION
The proceeds of the auction will be used to protect elephants in nature - the project of Save Elephants - Arthur Sniegon.
The auction will be held in Czech crowns, but payment will be possible and also in € (conversion will be shown on screen).
In the auction, there were traditionally items donated by the participants but it is also traditional that the highlight is donated to the auction by the zoo - let's see what it will be this time.
 

SPECIAL OPTION
On Sunday, there is a special possibility to visit Botany Park Bojnice (no. 4 in the map), which is located in close proximity to the zoo (150 m from the entrance). This is a unique facility - a private botanical garden built by own hands - without a company - approx. 1,000 m2 greenhouse with about 300 species of cacti and succulents. Very nice matter - see official site

MAPS:

Interactive map - after clicking it opens in Mapy.cz - all points and also animals in the zoo etc. are recorded.

Map of the Zoo:


Map of parking lots: