Halloween is coming early this year for Birmingham residents with the Birmingham Zoo’s Annual Hoots and Howls daytime Halloween event.
The event is taking place the last three Saturdays and Sundays in October from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. and is showcasing some traditional scary animals such as owls and coyotes, who might not be so scary after all.
There will be a hay maze in the shape of an owl, a coyote scavenger hunt, a Monster Mash dance party and a costume parade. There will also be educational animal showings at 1 and 2 p.m. where zoo-goers can learn about why these animals are not so scary after all.
“We really added a lot of new things this year. It's called Hoots and Howls, showcasing our owls and coyotes here. We're going to have a scavenger hunt with them, and then a corn maze in the shape of a giant owl and we'll have a costume parade and contest at one o'clock every day. So it's just a lot of fun,” said Bill Lang, director of marketing and events for the Birmingham Zoo.
The zoo is also offering a candy trail in which zoo-goers can purchase a $10 wristband to trick-or-treat around the zoo. The purchase of a wristband also includes unlimited rides on the zoo’s Red Diamond Express train and climbs on the Full Moon Barbeque tower.
In addition to the activities going on every hour, all of the zoo’s exhibits will be open. Lang recommends budgeting in a couple of hours for seeing the animals.
“The typical experience at the zoo is about two hours. Some of our keepers recommend going through all the exhibits twice, because the lion may be asleep the first time and then the second time it could be running around roaring. I would budget a couple of hours to do this, especially with the Hoots and Howls event,” said Lang.
The Birmingham Zoo’s Hoots and Howls daytime Halloween event is will be on October 19, 20, 26 and 27. More information on this event can be found on the Birmingham Zoo website.
