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A Halloween Tradition Continues As Boo at the Zoo Returns To Brookfield Zoo Chicago
The spooky season fun has officially begun! Gather your little ghosts and goblins for our family-friendly BOO! at the Zoo fall fest, running now through Friday, October 31. Don’t forget, Brookfield Zoo Chicago offers free general admission to all guests on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout October and November (except Thanksgiving Day). Make a plan to visit and read on for more details on all the thrills that await you at Brookfield Zoo Chicago!
Experience the Zoo like never before this Halloween season!
- All BOO! Long: Stroll through the Zoo festively decorated, enjoy Halloween-themed food and drink, trick or treating in select retail locations, and see your favorite animals in a whole new light.
- Weekends Only: The fun comes alive with special activities! Enjoy extra trick-or-treating locations, FREE inflatables, a magician, and other thrilling surprises that will make your visit unforgettable.
Sundays Only: Don’t miss our NEW BOO! at the Zoo Art Fair, where creativity meets spooky fun. - It’s the perfect way to celebrate Halloween with the whole family — don’t miss the frightful fun!
Activities Schedule
- 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Fridays and 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays Inflate-a-BOO! – Free inflatables available for children aged 3-10. Located across from Pachyderm building.
- 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Creatures of the Night info tables – Saturdays only. Located near The Carousel.
- 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Costume parades – Weekends only. Located in the East Mall.
- 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Pumpkin decorating* – Weekends only. Located in the East Mall.
- 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Trick-or-Treating (North Gate Market, South Gate Market, and Living Coast Gift Shop – Daily. East Mall – Weekends only. )
- 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Magician – Weekends only. Located in the East Mall.
- Owl crafts at Hamill Family Play Zoo – Weekends only, while supplies last
- Disney Channel Halloween Bags – Pick up a free bag on your way into the Zoo, Fridays through Sundays
- Magical Pumpkin Seek-N-Find – Enter to win magical prizes from Disney On Ice & Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Take a stroll around The Carousel and locate six Encanto themed pumpkins.
*Additional fees apply
Join us at BOOs & Brews!
Fear not: Zoo After Dark: BOOS & Brews returns on Saturday, October 25! This 21+ evening features a lively costume contest with fabulous prizes, a high-energy dance party featuring DJ Nurotic, pumpkin decorating, and up-close encounters with animal ambassadors. You better run … to get your tickets before they’re gone!
BOO! at the Zoo is Back!
Get into the spirit of spooky season at BOO! at the Zoo, packed with festive fun, not-so-scary thrills, and wild adventures for all ages! All October long, we’ll have Halloween-themed food and drinks available for purchase, plus we’ll have daily trick-or-treating around the Zoo. And, your weekends at BOO! at the Zoo will include:
🎩 Magician shows
🎃 Pumpkin decorating
🎈 Free Inflata-BOO! play area for children aged 3-10 (Fridays-Sundays)
🦇 Zoo Chats on bats, sea lions, eels & more
🎃 Pumpkin enrichment to animals
🎨 Art Fair (Sundays)
🎶 Live music (October 18-19)
Check out all the info, plus a detailed map, at the button below!
Haunted Walking Tours
As twilight falls, come see a different side of Brookfield Zoo Chicago! Hear the tales of those who have experienced eerie and unexplained events. This tour will walk through the southwest side of the Zoo and talk about its haunted history, phobias that unsettle us, and how understanding nature can sometimes explain supernatural encounters.
This limited-time tour takes place on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays in October at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are now on sale, so get yours today!
JINXED VR Experience
With spooky season comes the return of virtual reality 4D theater show Jinxed: an eerie carnival coaster simulator with dips, drops & thrills. Jinxed is now available through October 31; visit our VR theater located just north of The Living Coast, near the west playground.
- Band Schedule
- Saturday, October 18, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: 52nd Street: Tribute to Billy Joel
- Sunday, October 19, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Hello Weekend
BOO! MenusFrom spooky treats to chilling eats, we have a wide selection of BOO! at the Zoo special menu offerings located throughout Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Cup and Cone, Roaring Oven, and The Grove will offer specialty treats daily throughout October, and the East Mall’s funnel cake station will be open weekends throughout October.
VIEW MENUS
Zoo Chat Schedule
- Sunday, October 19, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Hello Weekend
- Saturdays & Sundays, October 4-26
- 11:00 a.m. Bats – Australia House
- 11:30 a.m. Herps – Feathers & Scales
- 12:00 p.m. Guam kingfisher – Tropic World Asia
- 12:15 p.m. Sea lion – Sea Lion Cove
- 2:00 p.m. Primates – Gorilla Conservation Center inside Bramsen Tropical Forests
- 2:15 p.m. Mexican wolf – Regenstein Wolf Woods
- 3:00 p.m. Eel – Living Coast
- 3:30 p.m. White-bellied pangolin – Habitat Africa! The Forest
Zoo Chats Brought To You By
Pumpkins to Animals Schedule - Saturday, October 4: 10:30 a.m. Brown bears; 2:30 p.m. African painted dogs
- Sunday, October 5: 10:30 a.m. Sloth bears; 2:30 p.m. Kangaroos
- Saturday, October 11: 10:30 a.m. Goats; 2:30 p.m. Rodrigues fruit bats
- Sunday, October 12: 10:30 a.m. Polar bears; 2:30 p.m. Echidnas
- Saturday, October 18: 10:30 a.m. Gorillas; 2:30 p.m. Dwarf mongooses
- Sunday, October 19: 10:30 a.m. Brown bears; 2:30 p.m. Mexican wolves
- Saturday, October 25: 10:30 a.m. Sand cat; 2:30 p.m. Red river hogs
- Sunday, October 26: 10:30 a.m. Rhino; 2:30 p.m. Lemurs
- Sunday, October 5: 10:30 a.m. Sloth bears; 2:30 p.m. Kangaroos
Event RulesTo ensure a fun and safe environment for all attendees, please keep the following in mind when choosing your costume:• Costumes must be appropriate for all ages. Please avoid any themes, language, or imagery that could be considered offensive, overly scary, or inappropriate for children.• Real or fake weapons of any kind (including toy guns, swords, knives, or props that resemble weapons) are not permitted.• Guests over the age of 13 are not permitted to wear full-body costumes with their heads covered at any time. This is to avoid confusion with Brookfield Zoo Chicago costume characters and for the safety of all guests and animals.Please note, all BOO! at the Zoo activities are weather-dependent, and schedule/programming is subject to change.
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