The City of Chattanooga invites the public to a free day at the Chattanooga Zoo on Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for GoFest, a festival celebrating people of all abilities. The City of Chattanooga created the event 13 years ago as part of an initiative to help improve accessibility, break down barriers and raise disability awareness.
“As a community, we can work together to remove unnecessary barriers to leading a life without limitations. To that end, GoFest connects Chattanoogans with needed services and programs while raising awareness for people living with disabilities in our community,” said Mayor Andy Berke.
"From animal encounters to adaptive sports, GoFest offers active opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. The fun, free day includes interactive exhibits like Touch-a-Truck, where children can explore military vehicles, snow plows and recycling trucks. It also includes entertainment such as face painting and photos with exciting costumed characters.
"While the animals and activities are an important part of GoFest, the mission is to raise awareness and connect people living with disabilities to needed services. Some programs the City of Chattanooga offers include the Mayor’s Council on Disability, an ADA Community Resource Directory published by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and classes, events, and programming from the City’s Therapeutic Recreation Division.
"GoFest also showcases civic-minded organizations, businesses and social service agencies, which share info on the health, educational, assistive technology and transportation resources available in Chattanooga for people living with disabilities," officials said.
For more info on the 13th Annual GoFest, visit
www.gofestchattanooga.org, and join the community conversation online using #iamgofest.