Families are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes to the Philadelphia Zoo during the last three weekends in October as part of its annual Boo at the Zoo extravaganza.
Children can fill their trick-or-treat buckets with candy and collect books from Philly's Reading Captains as they visit their favorite animals. They can create wands to learn about the importance of reusing materials and throw "bugs" at a giant web to discover how the spiders trap their prey.
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There also will be pumpkin snacks and other Halloween-themed activities set up in each of the animal exhibits.
Boo at the Zoo runs Oct. 14-15, 21-22 and 28-29 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event is included with the price of admission – $20 for kids up to 12 years old and $25 for adults. Toy guns and other weapons are not permitted.
Families also can stop by Spiders Alive, a new exhibit featuring spiders and scorpions, and look for the zoo's vampire bats — which feed on the blood of other animals — in a new exhibit near the otters and red panda.
The zoo's newest animals include a bright orange baby Francois langur named Ong Cu and his mother, rescued puma cubs Elbroch and Olympia, and Marcy, a 3-year-old female snow leopard who will make her public debut later this month.
More information can be found on the Philadelphia Zoo's website.
Boo at the Zoo
Oct. 14-15, 21-22 & 28-29
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Free with admission
Philadelphia Zoo
3400 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104