Boo! at the Zoo
Boo! at the Zoo is Garden City’s premiere Halloween celebration. The Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo have been hosting this “spooktacular” event for over 25 years. The zoo is an oasis for exotic animals including lions, tigers, and bears! Oh my! Spacious animal exhibits and children’s playgrounds are connected by a ghostly walkway offering all your favorite Halloween goodies. More than 5,000 people line up each year for this community-favorite Halloween event. The trick-or-treat trail guides you through a maze of treat stops that are decorated in spooky good themes. Follow your trick-or-treater as they learn about conservation from the “Litter Bugs,” hear the spells of singing witches, and make their way through the eerie graveyard. This family-friendly celebration is a great opportunity to go all-in on your Halloween look! Keep the conservation efforts of the zoo in mind by bringing a treat bag from home. After walking the treat trail, admire the costumed crowd while eating a Frankenweenie (hot dog) or a Dippin’ Dots ice cream from the Safari Shoppe.
The Halloween spirit spreads outside of the zoo with a Haunted Hayride and the ghoulish graveyard, if you dare pass the clown guard! The little princesses, superheroes, and skeletons can gather around the haystacks to listen to a costumed storyteller read ghost stories. You can also take a break from collecting Halloween candy with a ride on the Hogwarts Express train.
Admissions
he most popular Halloween event in town offers a variety of ways to experience the thrill of the holiday. Buy your general admission ticket in advance for $5 or buy it at the entrance for $10. All baby pumpkins under the age of 2 enter for free. Also, general admission participants have the chance to purchase a ticket for the Hogwarts Express train. Leave Platform Nine and Three Quarters to enter the magical world of Harry Potter. Use your wand to fight off dementors and protect the wizarding world. The Hogwarts Express train ride tickets can only be purchased at the event for $5.
If you are a higher-level member of the Lee Richardson Zoo, then you have the opportunity to purchase a Skeleton Key pass. The benefits of a members-only Skeleton Key pass include a private entrance (bypass the general admission line), a Haunted Hay Ride, and passage on the Hogwarts Express train. Admission opens an hour early for Skeleton Key pass holders. These special admission passes are $15 for children under 12 and $20 for ages 12 and up. There is a limited number of Skeleton Key passes, and they will sell out quickly.
When is Boo! at the Zoo?
oo! at the Zoo always takes place on the Saturday two weeks before Halloween. Doors are open from approximately 4 pm until 8 pm. The zoo is closed the day before the celebration in order to decorate and prepare for the festivities! Buy your general admission tickets at Blue Fox Boutique, El Remedio Market, Ward’s Garden Center, or Lee Richardson Zoo. You may also purchase tickets online at the Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo website www.folrz.org or call 620-276-6243.
The Lee Richardson Zoo is transformed into a trick-or-treat trail with the help of over 40 local sponsors. Each sponsor is dedicated to decking out their treat booth in hopes of earning the annual “Treat Stop Winner” award. Their efforts pay off with a crowd that grows by the hundreds each year.
The Boo! at the Zoo event is a fun-filled benefit for a good cause. All proceeds go to improvement projects at the zoo. Support your local zoo by taking part in this Halloween-themed evening.
