Frightfully Fun Festivities for All at Brookfield Zoo’s Boo! at the Zoo

The Holidays Are Coming.........

Being Cute as a Belle and Having a Homemade
Costume is Often a Winning Combination. (the
biggest factor is probably being homemade)

© Suburban Journals of  Chicago Inc. photo

© Suburban Journals of  Chicago Inc. photos

  Brookfield Zoo, BOO in the Zoo Costumes from 2006

Frightfully Fun Festivities for All at Brookfield Zoo’s Boo! at the Zoo

Brookfield, IL—From crazy costumes and trick-or-treating
to haunted hayrides and pumpkin carving demonstrations, Brookfield Zoo’s annual Boo! at the Zoo festival is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween, and the Chicago Zoological Society is inviting everyone to attend! The not-so-scary event will be
held on Saturdays and Sundays, October 20-21 and 27-28, beginning at 11:00 a.m. each day.

There’s no safer or more exciting way for families to enjoy Halloween, and guests can look forward to one of Chicagoland’s largest costume parades, an impressive costume showcase, Zoo Chats and much more!

At the zoo’s Nature Stage, located just east of Pachyderm House, visitors can get jack-o-lantern tips from professional pumpkin carvers Steve and Lynn Dahlke. As experts of this
fine art, the Dahlkes have been known to carve masterpieces
out of 500-pound pumpkins! They will be giving exciting demonstrations from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.

A Halloween celebration like Boo! at the Zoo wouldn’t be complete without looking at some fascinating and creepy creatures. At 11:00 a.m. visitors can meet Tex, a great horned owl in the Children’s Zoo. Afterwards, they can visit the Australia House at 11:45 a.m. to meet and learn about the Rodrigues fruit bats. And to wrap up the Zoo Chats, visitors
can slither on over to Hamill Family Play Zoo for the opportunity to touch a snake at 12:30 p.m.

Then, at 1:00 p.m., young ghosts, superheroes, wizards, and scary monsters can show off their Halloween attire in the costume parade. Kicking off at the north gate by Discovery Center, the parade will include several high school bands, including the Carl Sandburg Marching Band on October 20
and the Lyons Township Color Guard on October 28. The fun doesn’t stop there; following the parade will be the costume showcase, in which judges must choose first- and second-place winners in four categories: scariest, best animal theme, most original, and best group theme. The contest will take place on
the East Mall at 1:30 p.m., and winners must be present. Winners will receive assorted prizes courtesy of Fisher-Price®, Mattel, and Dominick’s.
 
Other spook-tacular activities will include a gigantic inflatable haunted house on October 20 and 21. The house will be located on the zoo’s East Mall, and it’s a great setting for family Halloween photos.

Similarly, on October 27 and 28, guests can view a larger-than-life inflatable witch and ghost. Also, don’t miss out
on taking one of Boo! at the Zoo’s haunted hayrides—this spooky ride through the park is sure to be bundles of fun.

Each day, Fisher-Price® will have a super-sized play area filled with its coolest new toys, which are perfect for children 6 months to 6 years old! PLUS, a Power Wheels™ driving track featuring the new NASCAR® Power Wheels and Ford® F-150 vehicles will be ready for little cruisers to take for a whirl. Youngsters will also have the opportunity to meet the new Fisher-Price® Planet Heroes™ friends, “Ace” from Planet Earth and “Digger” from Planet Mars.

Finally, as children leave the zoo, they will receive a bag filled with tasty treats and Halloween surprises from zoo volunteers.
For further information about the Halloween celebration, visit www.BrookfieldZoo.org. Boo! at the Zoo is sponsored in part by American Airlines, Dominick’s, Fisher-Price®, Chicago Dental Society, and 93.9 FM WLIT (“The Lite”).

The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. Open every day of the year, the zoo is located off First Avenue between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and is
also accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, CTA, and PACE bus service.