• Celebrate a New York Halloween tradition at WCS's Bronx Zoo
  • Safe, family-friendly activities include: Haunted Safari, Lost Hayride, pumpkin carving demonstrations, music, magic, and MORE
  • Boo at the Zoo festivities run every weekend in October
  • October 1-3, 9-11, 16-17, 23-24, 30-31


New York – September 2, 2010 – Boo at the Zoo returns to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo every weekend in October with new and exciting entertainment and activities that will ensure a wild time for the entire family including a brand new Haunted Safari adventure that includes an “Augmented Reality”3-D experience and a Lost Hayride that features an animated tour of Creepy Hollows.


This year’s Boo at the Zoo weekends are packed with activities and festive fun for all ages. Visitors will enjoy wildlife magic shows, musical performances, professional pumpkin carving demonstrations, and a parade of costumes in addition to the traditional guest favorites like the hay maze and craft workshops.

This year’s “Spooktacular” activities include:
 
Haunted Safari Adventure
11:00am- 5:30pm
Guests can explore a spooky walk-through wildlife-themed Halloween experience that reveals the challenges that wildlife faces for survival. As a part of the walk-through, safari visitors will each be given a “treasure” that will be revealed at the end of their journey as part of an “Augmented Reality” 3-D experience.  By placing their treasure (a special marker) through a web-camera set-up, each guest will learn the identity – in 3-D – of the special treasure that they brought to safety.

Lost Hayride
11:00am- 5:00pm
Enjoy an “old style” hay wagon ride through the beautiful foliage of the season and the natural park setting.  Many special surprises are in store for zoo-goers including a chilling tour of Creepy Hollows.
 
Extinct/endangered animal graveyard
Displayed at Mouse House lawn, the graveyard will help visitors understand the importance of these invaluable animals to our world.
 
Hay Maze
Let yourself get lost at the zoo while participating in this fun, fall tradition.
Pumpkin Carving Demonstrations.
Saturdays only 12:00pm – 3:00pm (excluding the weekend of Oct. 2).
Master pumpkin carver Hugh McMahon, will sculpt fascinating and intricate animal themed designs such as bats, tigers, gorillas, and big cats.  Each session, he will carve a 150-pound pumpkin that will remain on display through the remainder of the weekend.
 
Craft workshop
11:00am - 4:00pm at Dancing Crane Pavilion.
Families can enjoy creating animal-themed Halloween crafts.
 
Puppet Shows with Flexitoon Puppeteers
1:30pm, 3:30pm at Asia Plaza Theater
Award-winning puppeteers Craig Marin and Olga Felgemacher present a custom puppet show all about the amazing Bronx Zoo animals.  
 
All About Bats!
10:30am – 3:30pm at the Monkey House
Bat Chats at 11:15am, 12:15pm, 1:15pm, 2:15pm, and 3:15pm
Explore the world of bats with an expert guide who will demystify these flying mammals.
 
Costume Parade
12:45pm, 2:45pm
Gigi and the Lend Me a Hand Band will lead  kids and family members in an exciting costume parade accompanied with music, dance and fun, from Dancing Crane Plaza to the Grizzly Goodies Picnic Area.
 
MUSIC: Gigi and the Lend Me A Hand Band
11:00am, 1:00 pm, 3:00pm at Bear Overlook
Enjoy animal-themed musical performances that are knee-slapping fun and celebrate wildlife.
 
MAGIC: Thrilling Magic Shows
12:00pm, 2:00pm, 4:00pm at Bear Overlook
Magicians will leave spectators in awe as they entertain and delight audiences.
 
Treat Stations
11:00am – 4:00pm
Kids can engage in safe trick-or-treating activities at locations around the park. Treat station locations will be Zoo Center, Hayride, Bug Carousel, Monorail, and Haunted Safari.

 
WCS’s Boo at the Zoo is made possible by the following generous sponsors:  
 
Presented by: Pepsi
 
Sponsored by: Entenmann’s and FedEx

Contact:
Max Pulsinelli – 718-220-5182; mpulsinelli@wcs.org
Steve Fairchild – 718-220-5189; sfairchild@wcs.org



The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide.  We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony.  WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Adult admission is $16, children (3-12 years old) $12, children under 3 are free, seniors (65+) are $14. Parking is $13 for cars and $16 for buses. The Bronx Zoo is conveniently located off the Bronx River Parkway at Exit 6; by train via the #2 or #5 or by bus via the #9, #12, #19, #22, MetroNorth, or BxM11 Express Bus service (from Manhattan that stops just outside the gate.) To plan your trip, visit www.bronxzoo.com  or call 718-367-1010.