Time For Zoo Boo

The Zoo Boo at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek may be my favorite family Halloween event.  We took our kids there many years in a row when they were small.  and now it's time for the next generation in the McKelly family- Granddaughters!!!  Trust me, this will be something the whole family will remember for many years to come.  Here's the details...

Fall Fun Begins at Binder Park Zoo’s ZooBoo 14^h – 30^th!Community Pumpkin Carve October 12^th 4-7pm

 It’s time for ZooBoo and the Community Pumpkin Carve at Binder Park Zoo.   The fall fun begins on October 12^th from 4-7pm at the Zoo’s annual FREE Community Pumpkin Carve.  Then gather up the family and head out to ZooBoo October 14th through the 30th.  This must do Halloween event is fun for the entire family and is packed full of games, rides, animals, and trick-or-treating.  ZooBoo happens each evening Wednesdays – Sundays. For more information, visit www.binderparkzoo.org/boo. The annual Community Pumpkin Carve takes place this year on October 12^th from 4-7pm. This is a free community event. Come out and help the Zoo carve a ton of pumpkins!

ZooBoo is the place to be this fall season with lots of activities like a straw maze, blacklight mini golf, hayrides, train rides, carousel and of course yummy fall foods!  Don’t forget to bring your trick or treat bag, ZooBoo offers a trick-or-treat trail, too! And what’s a trip to the Zoo without seeing some animals!  Many of the Zoo’s weather-hardy animals will be on exhibit including snow leopard, Mexican wolves, black bears and the red pandas. The Miller Children’s Zoo will be transformed from a petting zoo into the exciting BooVille Carnival sponsored by Meijer. Youngsters will enjoy the carnival atmosphere and play a variety of games to win fun prizes.

The Zoo has added a little scary to this otherwise merry event with the addition of Haunted Africa! Experience the scarier side of Halloween on a spooky excursion through a portion of Wild Africa while ghosts, goblins, and things that go bump in the night await you on your Haunted Safari. Haunted Africa is recommended for kids 12 and up and operates on Friday and Saturday nights.

Not only is ZooBoo a fun, family friendly event that has been part of the Battle Creek community for 29 years, it is also the Zoo’s largest fundraiser.  The funds raised through this event go to support the care and feeding of the over 600 animals that call Binder Park Zoo home.  The animals stay at the Zoo all winter, even though it is closed to the public.  With rising costs in animal feed and electricity, fundraisers like ZooBoo are an essential piece to the puzzle of running a self-sustaining non-profit.

The Great ZooBoo begins October 14^th and runs through the 30^th and will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.   Hours are Wednesday-Friday 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  Tickets cost $6.50 for non Zoo members and $5.50 for Zoo members.  Take advantage of the All Access Wristband, which includes all of the ZooBoo freebies, a trick-or-treat trail token, a carnival coupon good for 5 carnival game tickets, unlimited rides and a discount on Haunted Africa. For more information, visit www.binderparkzoo.org/boo  or call 269-979-1351. The Zoo is asking guests to put a little “green” in  Halloween by bringing your own treat bag to ZooBoo. For more eco-friendly tips visit www.greenhalloween.org.