Indianapolis ZooIndianapolis PrizeGlobal Center for Species Survival
Hours: 9am-4pm Mon-Thurs, 9am-5pm Fri-Sun
Buy TicketsDonate
SearchIcon
Buy Tickets
ZooBoo


Oct 5 - Oct 31

ZooBoo

2 - 7 PM

Activities run Wednesday-Sunday. Open until 9pm Friday-Saturday.

Presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers
Buy Tickets

ZooBoo presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers

2-7pm Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday • 2-9pm Friday-Saturday

Is regular October too humdrum, but haunted houses too creepy-crawly? Come to the Zoo for Halloween activities, amazing animals and pumpkins galore! ZooBoo is a fun family experience for itty-bitty ghouls and goblins as well as the bigger kids. October weather means active animals, colorful foliage and a new season to explore. Combine that with engaging, hands-free activities, spooktacular costumes and trick-or-treating, and you’ve got an unforgettable family tradition. Woo-hoo!

Best of all, ZooBoo is free for Zoo members and included with regular admission.

Pumpkin Town

The Bicentennial Pavilion is home to a whimsical village where Mayor Jack who keeps guests on their toes with his boo-worthy jokes! Professor Pumpkin leads mystifying science demonstrations for little witches and wizards at Pumpkin School. While snakes, cats and other not-so-scary creatures scurry in Jack’s Barn, you can also see Caretaker Kris’ collection of spooky skulls.

More ZooBoo Fun

  • Meet Terra, a friendly witch, as she conjures up some Halloween magic at her cauldron
  • NEW spooky décor throughout Zoo grounds featuring ghouls and a larger-than-life spider
  • Trick-or-Treat Trail — including 7 treat stations in a NEW larger location in the Plains
  • Adult Trick-or-Treat Trail  — Friday and Saturday from 5-8pm (while supplies last)
  • Roller Ghoster — Indianapolis’ only roller coaster with a fun, Halloween twist!
  • Round-Go-Merry — the carousel that moves in reverse. Open until 7pm.
  • Spooktacular Train Ride — Enjoy a ride for a special view of the Zoo behind the scenes. Open until 7pm.
  • Every Saturday from 4:30-7:30pm, meet ballerinas from Swan Lake by the Indianapolis Ballet
Preview all the Spooktacular Fun

Find ongoing activities in Pumpkin Town, enjoy themed rides, see animal experiences throughout the Zoo and more!

View the ZooBoo Map
All Treats and No Tricks!
Collect goodies along the Trick-or-Treat Trail presented by PNC Bank
  • This year, the Trick-or-Treat Trail has a NEW LOCATION near the front of the Zoo.
  • Children are encouraged to wear costumes and bring a reusable bag to collect treats at five stations, including Welch’s Fruit Snacks and other goodies.
  • Look for hand sanitizer along the trail, with additional sanitizing stations throughout ZooBoo.
  • Allergy-friendly treats and non-food items are available at each treat station upon request.
  • We proudly provide only items that are palm oil-free, contain sustainably sourced palm oil or are produced by a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, which is working to make orangutan-friendly palm oil readily available.
  • Find an orangutan-friendly Halloween candy list or check out the mobile app from our friends at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

 

For the safety of all guests, full-face makeup or costume masks are only allowed for children ages 12 and under.

Masks are not required, but recommended when inside buildings. Find health and safety tips on wearing masks from our ZooBoo Safety Awareness partners at Ascension St. Vincent.

Zoo Animals

Mild fall temperatures mean animals will be more active!

Watch as many animals enjoy Halloween-themed enrichment and extra animal chats throughout the event. View the ZooBoo map for the full schedule.

The elephant herd gets into the Halloween spirit with the squash-splattering fun of the Elephant Pumpkin Smash!

  • Arrive early to visit your favorite furry friends before ZooBoo activities begin at 2pm.
  • With ZooBoo open late on Fridays and Saturdays, you can also visit Oceans, Dolphin Pavilion, Deserts Dome and Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center until 9pm on those nights.
  • Our Forests, Flights of Fancy and Plains exhibits will remain open until dusk.
The black cats of Pumpkin Town need a fur-ever home
Adopt a ZooBoo Kitten

Meet Jinx, Binx, Charm and Magic, our black foster kittens. These playful young felines are available for adoption after Halloween through Indiana Animal Care Services.

Adopt a Kitten
ZooBoo Food Guide
View the Menu
Sink your Teeth into Ghoulish Goodies

We’ve conjured up all sorts of eerie sweets and treats plus some frightful feasts just for ZooBoo. Sink your teeth into zombie mac or gravedigger nachos while you sip on hocus pocus punch. Finish your meal with a monster rice crispy treat or take home a cookie monster.

There are spirits hiding in ZooBoo, too! Our adult guests can enjoy a poisoned pumpkin mule or a toxic tonic — two delicious cocktails created especially for ZooBoo by our friends at Hotel Tango

Browse all our new menu items and find out where these ZooBoo-lishious specialties are available.

Halloween Safety Tips

Enjoy a safe and fun ZooBoo experience by following these health and safety tips from our friends at Ascension St. Vincent and the Indiana Pacers.

Need an adults-only Halloween evening?

Halloween isn’t just for the little ones! Brewfari presented by Scarlet Lane Brewing Co. offers an evening of craft beers, costumes, music and lots of wild fun.

Attend Brewfari
Help create the magic

Whether fall is your favorite season, you love the Zoo or you want to give back to the community, we want to hear from you.

We’re looking for volunteers ages 16 and older to help us bring ZooBoo to life for our guests! Just click on the Volunteer tab.

Volunteer for ZooBoo

Contact the Zoo’s Volunteer Services team or more information.

Contact Us
Thanks to our Partners: