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Great Zoo Halloween Offers “Merry-not-Scary” Fun

The zoo will be transformed into a pumpkin paradise when the Great Zoo Halloween opens from October 19-31 at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.
 
Children are invited to trick-or-treat around the zoo grounds, where they receive goodies at nine treat stations.  Ten to 12 tons of pumpkins and gourds adorn the zoo pathways, along with scenes from popular children’s books and movies. 
 
“The Great Zoo Halloween is completely kid-friendly,” says Zoo Director Jim Anderson.  “We aim to keep things merry, not scary!” 
 
Thousands of volunteers from the community assist with the setup and operation of the Great Zoo Halloween.  Cub Scouts, Brownies, Girl Scouts, youth groups, service clubs, and civic-minded individuals help to paint, scoop, and carve about 1,000 pumpkins in the week prior to the event.   Each evening of the Great Zoo Halloween, about 100 volunteers distribute candy, staff game booths, and entertain visitors. 
 
Thanks to these generous sponsors for their support of the Great Zoo Halloween:  Bob Evans; Centennial Wireless; Courtyard by Marriott; Dairy Queen; Ellison Bakery; Gordon Food Service; Hershey's; Kraft Foods; National City Bank; Physician's Health Plan; Roller Dome; Touchstone Energy Cooperatives - Your Northeast Indiana REMCs; Universal Windows Direct; Wal-Mart.
 
The zoo closes for the regular season on October 14.  The Great Zoo Halloween is open October 19-31 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. weeknights; 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.  Admission is $6 for children; $4 for adults.  Halloween carnival-style games cost an additional $1 each. The Eerie Express Train Ride, which takes visitors into the “haunted” woods of Franke Park, costs an additional $2 per person.

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