Say Boo at the Zoo for a Fabulous Fall Festival

Scientific name: Scarecrowus Octoberus. Visitors will find these strange and wonderful creatures all around zoo grounds, along with a stunning array of intricately carved pumpkins, creative decorations and animals enjoying their own special trick-or-treat goodies.

It’s all part of Zoo Boo, a colorful fall festival guaranteed to put smiles as wide as jack-o-lantern grins on the faces of everyone who walks through the gates on Oct. 18 and 19.

It’s the only time of year visitors are encouraged to come to the zoo in costume – and those who do are eligible for $3 off general admission.

The makings of Scarecrow Alley already are underway.

And zookeepers are busy devising other decorations to delight visitors, too. They work hard to outdo their colleagues in a friendly completion. In past years, there’s been a Temple of Doom in the Asian Forest Sanctuary; a graveyard complete with headstones planted amidst the bushes in the central area of the zoo; skeletons lounging in the aquarium; gigantic spider webs here and there; and artfully carved pumpkins all around.

It’s visually stunning, puts everyone in the mood for that end-of-October holiday and provides for amazing animal viewing as zoo residents get enrichments of pumpkins to eat or play with. 

Those enrichments show off the very best of zookeepers’ amazing jack-o-lantern carving skills. And it’s a hoot to see what the animals do with them. Grab! Chomp! Smash!

Zoo Boo is presented by Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores and BECU.

All events are free with admission to the zoo.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Zoo Boo days. Activities run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To learn more about Zoo Boo and other activities at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, go to www.pdza.org.