The First Hundred Miles of Route 66 is home to many world-class attractions, but few are more widely known and beloved than the Chicago Zoological Society’s Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Now, with the return of Brookfield Zoo’s popular Boo! at the Zoo event, there’s never been a better time to take a fall excursion to this popular park.

All are invited to a family-friendly Halloween celebration featuring a delightfully frightful and fun-filled time at Brookfield Zoo’s 52nd annual Boo! at the Zoo – running now through Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends.

During Boo!, guests will be able to stroll through the festively decorated Zoo, enjoy Halloween-themed food and drink, trick or treat in select retail locations, and see their favorite animals in a whole new light. On Saturdays and Sundays, the fun comes alive with additional special activities. Enjoy extra trick-or-treating locations, free inflatables, a magician, and other thrilling surprises that will make your visit unforgettable. On Sundays, don’t miss the new BOO! at the Zoo Art Fair – where creativity meets spooky fun.

Little ghouls and goblins are encouraged to come in costume for the weekend’s festivities and join in the zoo’s costume parade to show off their favorite characters. The parade departs at both 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from the East Mall .

At the East Mall zoogoers will be amazed at the antics of a magician demonstrating his hocus-pocus skills (weekends only, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m). Returning this year are the zoo’s popular larger-than-life, themed, photo-op stations. Explore six giant inflatables, six themed frames and seven peekboards for fun photo opportunities.

Visitors will also be treated to free ”Inflate-a-BOOs," located across from the Pachyderm building from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Pumpkin decorating will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends in the East Mall. Owl crafts will be given out at the Hamill Family Play Zoo on weekends, while supplies last. Complimentary Disney Channel Halloween Bags will be distributed at the park entrance, Fridays through Sundays​.

Take a stroll around the park’s Carousel and locate six “Encanto”-themed pumpkins for a chance to win magical prizes from Disney On Ice & Brookfield Zoo Chicago during Zoo’s first ever Magical Pumpkin Seek-N-Find.

Free Trick-or-Treat Stations are located in all of the park’s retail locations (North Gate Market, South Gate Market, Living Coast Gift Shop); kids can enjoy complimentary pieces of Ferrara candy.

During Boo! at the Zoo, enjoy free live zoo chats – short talks highlighting some of the park’s most popular animals. This year, the zoo chats lineup, taking place on Saturdays and Sundays, includes:

• 11:00 a.m. Bats - Australia House
• 11:30 a.m. Herps - Feathers & Scales 
• 12:00 p.m. Guam kingfisher - Tropic World Asia
• 12:15 p.m. Sea lion - Sea Lion Cove
• 2:00 p.m. Primates – Gorilla Conservation Center inside Bramsen Tropical Forests
• 2:15 p.m. Mexican wolf – Regenstein Wolf Woods
• 3:00 p.m. Eel - Living Coast
• 3:30 p.m. White-bellied pangolin – Habitat Africa! The Forest

One of the fest’s signature events is the pumpkin animal enrichment – a chance to see some adorable animals enjoy a tasty seasonal treat. These special events will take place on Saturdays and Sundays at the following enclosures:

• Saturday, October 18: 10:30 a.m. Gorillas; 2:30 p.m. Dwarf mongooses
• Sunday, October 19: 10:30 a.m. Brown bears; 2:30 p.m. Mexican wolves
• Saturday, October 25: 10:30 a.m. Sand cat; 2:30 p.m. Red river hogs
• Sunday, October 26: 10:30 a.m. Rhino; 2:30 p.m. Lemurs

Looking for more fun at Brookfield? Zoo After Dark: BOOs & Brews returns Oct. 25. Dress up in your favorite costume attire and have a ghoulishly fun time at Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s new 21-and-older, after-hours BOOs & Brews. Enjoy the Halloween-themed dance party, eerie entertainment, frightening animal experiences and chilling specialty food and drinks.