Celebrate Halloween at the NYC Zoos

October 10–12, 17–18, 24–25 & Oct 31–Nov 1
Celebrate a New York Halloween tradition! October weekends are packed with activities, including wildlife magic shows, pumpkin carving demonstrations, and haunted hayrides. Join us for the first ever Haunted Safari and be part of the journey to Save the Species. Best of all, come visit with our bats, cats, and creepiest critters.

Activities

Haunted Safari
Embark on an adventure to help locate a lost species. Your journey takes you through a bat cave, the belly of a snake, and a rainforest swamp.
Time: 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Musical Performances
Join Annie and the Natural Wonder band for animal-themed tunes!
Time: 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., & 3:00 p.m.

Wildlife Theater:
It’s A Wonderful Niche
Join the Wildlife Theater Players for puppetry, song, and interactive fun. Our story follows a young bat on his journey to discover his value and importance. (Note: no live animals in these shows.)
Times: 10:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:15 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.

Hay Maze
Let yourself get lost at the zoo!
Time: 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Treat Stations
Special locations around the park will help sweeten your visit today.
Time: 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Scarecrow Adventure Hayride
Load up for a spook-tacular ride! Join us for an exclusive animated tour full of family-friendly surprises. Tour starts at Fountain Circle.
Time: 11:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Fee: $3 per person

Pumpkin-carving Demonstrations
Watch an expert carve amazing animal shapes!
Time: 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Animal-themed Magic Shows
Enjoy a Boo at the Zoo family tradition.
Time: Noon, 2:00, & 4:00 p.m.

Scrap Kins Recycled Mask-making
Turn trash into treasure! Scrap Kins artists will help you build a one-of-a-kind wildlife mask from recycled materials.
Times: 11:45 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m., & 3:45 p.m.
Special Animal Enrichment Activities
11:15 a.m.: Birds of Prey Aviary
2:00 p.m.: World of Reptiles
2:15 p.m.: Carter Giraffe Bldg
3:30 p.m.: Monkey House

Safety Tips & Giveaways
On October 25, FedEx and Safe Kids USA remind families how to keep kids safe on Halloween. FedEx and Safe Kids USA will provide reflective giveaways and safety tips for parents and drivers. For more information on child pedestrian safety, please visit safekids.org

Special Offer: A child age 3-12 wearing a wildlife costume will receive a free General Admission ticket when accompanied by an adult purchasing any full-priced adult admission ticket. Limit one free child per paying adult.

Central Park Zoo
It’s all treats and no tricks as our polar bears and other animals wolf down their yummy Halloween snacks at this spooktacular event. There are plenty of goodies in store for visitors, too, including a wildlife witch, face painting, crafts stations, and more.

Do you love bats, cats, and slithery snakes? Celebrate Halloween all month long at Boo at the Bronx Zoo. Enjoy wildlife magic shows, pumpkin carving demonstrations, hay mazes, and the first ever Haunted Safari.

Schedule of Events

Animal Trick-Or-Treat
Watch polar bears, snow monkeys, and Rainforest and Children's Zoo resident dig into pumpkins that are filled with goodies like corn on the cob,bamboo, and fish.

Wildlife Witch
Learn about all things creepy and crawly when our wildlife witch presents a spooky show in a haunted habitat.
Time: Noon, 1:30 and 2:15 p.m.

Scavenger Hunt
Search the zoo for colorful replicas of extinct animals using our special word jumble. Successful explorers receive a special treat.

Face Painting
Transform yourself into a pumpkin, a ghost, a bat, or a spider!

Crafts
Design a creepy headband featuring a bat, spider, or snake design to enhance your costume.

Bat Chats
Fly by the Zoo’s bat exhibit to chat about bats.
Times: Noon, 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.

NYC Aquarium
Dress up the family and join the NYC Aquarium in Brooklyn for their annual Halloween celebration, occurring over two special weekends. Learn all about monsters of the deep while you enjoy games, prizes, and arts and crafts. Beginning October 10, experience the Haunted Sea-fari Perils of the Sea.

Special Offer: A child age 3-12 wearing a wildlife costume will receive a free General Admission ticket when accompanied by an adult purchasing any full-priced adult admission ticket. Limit one free child per paying adult.

Activities take place noon–4:00 p.m.

A-Scarium Activities

Haunted Sea-fari Perils of the Sea
Visit the haunted house for a unique Halloween experience. Travel through murky waters and pass by extinct sea life tombs, jellyfish tentacles, and other creatures of the deep as you make your way to dry land. At the end of your journey, you’ll have a better understanding of the threats facing the ocean’s extraordinary animals.
Schedule: Weekends beginning October 10
Location: Above Ocean View area

Storytelling
Join LuAnn Adams for stories about the sea!
Dates: 10/24–25, 10/31 and 11/1

Music
Dance to kid-friendly, marine and Halloween-themed tunes by DJ Dave.
Pumpkin-carving Demonstrations
Watch an expert carve amazing animal shapes!
Dates: 10/24–25, 10/31 and 11/1

Crafts
Make a sea creature costume or a mask out of recycled materials.
Treat Stations
Trick or treat at our holiday treat stations.

New 4-D Movie!
The Curse of Skull Rock is a swashbuckling animated adventure that pits plucky cabin girl Jill Hopkins against the tyrannical Captain Scabb in pursuit of the lost treasure of Skull Rock. This family-friendly 4-D adventure with special effects brings the on-screen action to life.
Schedule: Airs in the 4-D Theater from Oct. 3–Nov 1