News Release
 
Contacts:
Sondra Katzen, Brookfield Zoo, 708.688.835, sondra.katzen@czs.org
Elizabeth Restrepo, Jasculca-Terman, elizabeth_restrepo@jtpr.com
 
September 29, 2021
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
 NOTE: Download images at end of press release.

   

Brookfield, Ill.— This fall season, guests of all ages can dress up in their favorite costumes and head to Brookfield Zoo for its annual Boo! at the Zoo celebration. The Halloween-themed event, which takes place on Saturdays and Sundays, October 9-10, 16-17, and 23-24, features ghoulishly fun memorable photo opportunities, sweet treats, and the spectacular yellow, red, and orange colors of autumn.

At the new Howl-O-Scenes, located just northwest of Roosevelt Fountain, zoogoers can gather in front of the large inflatable spider on a web for a family snapshot. Or, take selfies amongst an array of not-so-scary cut-out characters, including a ghost, dragon, dinosaur, witch, vampire, and alien creatures. There is also rows of hay bales and pumpkins to pose next to. Additionally, throughout the park there are Halloween-themed photo frames, cut outs, and peek boards featuring the likes of a black cat, snake, stacked pumpkins, scarecrow, monster, and more. After visiting Boo! at the Zoo, guests can share their photos on social media with the hashtag #BrookfieldZoo.

While making their way around the zoo, guests can also stop to take a spin on the Creepy Carousel (additional fee applies) or find their way through the “Crazed Maize” Corn Maze. Adding to the Halloween ambiance throughout the park, zoogoers will encounter giant inflatables, including Frankenstein, a pumpkin wizard, scarecrow, giant pumpkin, and witch as well as the ever-popular Tombstone Grave Yard featuring headstones with spirited puns.

In celebration of the Halloween festivities, animal care staff will be giving pumpkins to several animals to play with, eat, and smash. They include:

• - Goats and wallabies at Hamill Family Wild Encounters on October 9 at 10:30a.m.

• - Polar and brown bears at Great Bear Wilderness on October 10 at 10:30 a.m.

• -Black rhinos on October 16 at 10:30 a.m.

• -Kangaroos on October 17 at 11 a.m.

• -Big cats and sloth bears on October 23 at 10:30 a.m.

• -Polar and brown bears at Great Bear Wilderness on October 24 at 10:30 a.m.

 

The animals will not be the only ones receiving Halloween treats. Youngsters will receive goodies courtesy of Ferrara® as they exit the park.
Admission to Brookfield Zoo is $24.95 for adults, $17.95 for children 3-11, and $19.95 for seniors 65 and over. Parking is $15. To avoid confusion with Brookfield Zoo’s costume characters, full-body costumes that cover faces are not permitted for guests over the age of 13. For more information, visit CZS.org/Events.

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 Photo Captions—credit CZS-Brookfield Zoo
8686: A young guest poses for a fall photo in front of pumpkins and bales of hay during Brookfield Zoo’s Boo! at the Zoo.
 
X5A5412: Families can dress up in their favorite Halloween costume and head to Brookfield Zoo for its annual Boo! at the Zoo celebration.
 
5665: During Brookfield Zoo’s Boo! at the Zoo, guests can pose for memorable photos at Halloween-themed frames.
 
5667 and 5706: Guests of all ages can find their way through the “Crazed Maize” Corn Maze during Brookfield Zoo’s Boo! at the Zoo.

About the Chicago Zoological Society
The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by engaging people and communities with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Its Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare is at the forefront of animal care that strives to discover and implement innovative approaches to zoo animal management. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. The zoo is located at 8400 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and also is accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, and CTA and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org.