News release from the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo:
Wild Zoo Halloween Reopens Thursday for Second Weekend of Fun
Free carousel rides Thursday(October 21, 2015) – The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo’s 37th annual Wild Zoo Halloween presented by STAR Financial Bank opens for its second weekend of family fun on Thursday, October 22 at noon. The popular event offers “merry-not-scary” excitement and tasty treats that are just right for pint-sized guests.
Highlights of the upcoming weekend include:
Thursday, October 22 Free Carousel Rides
Zoo guests can enjoy unlimited FREE rides on the Endangered Species Carousel. (Regular zoo admission prices still apply.)Friday, October 23 Pumpkin Stomp & Chomp
Animals get pumpkin treats – 12:45 Orangutan; 1:00 Penguin; 1:15 Tiger; 1:30 Otter; 2:00 Red Panda; 2:30 Lynx; 3:00 Sea Lion; 3:30 Wallaby; 4:00 Lemur. No additional charge beyond zoo admission.Saturday, October 24 Hero Day
Meet representatives from the Fort Wayne Fire Department, Fort Wayne Police Department, 122nd Fighter Wing, and United States Marine Corps from 1-3 pm at the African Journey Pavilions and Australian Adventure Plaza. No additional charge beyond zoo admission.Sunday, October 25 Star Wars Day
Meet Star Wars characters from 2-4 pm on the Australian Adventure Plaza. No additional charge beyond zoo admission.
Additional theme days at the Wild Zoo Halloween presented by STAR Financial Bank include:
- October 29 – Free Carousel Rides
- October 30 – Pumpkin Decorating Workshop – Decorate a mini pumpkin to take home
- October 31 – Cans for Conservation – Bring an empty aluminum can and get a free ride ticket
(good for Z.O.&O. Railroad or Endangered Species Carousel only)Details on all Wild Zoo Halloween presented by STAR Financial Bank theme days are at https://kidszoo.org/wild-zoo-halloween/
Guests can trick-or-treat for candy at the Treat Trails, view zoo animals, meet Broomhilda the friendly witch, visit the Beauty Shop of Horrors, see giant-sized pumpkins, and more. Children can choose their own mini-pumpkin from the Pumpkin Patch. Animal sculptures made out of pumpkins are always a guest favorite. Train riders will hear “Tale of the Twisted Tree” as they venture into the Franke Park woods.
Kids are encouraged to wear costumes. The zoo is decorated for Halloween and features several photo spots where guests can take their own pictures. Back for its second year is the Wild Zoo Halloween photo contest.
New for 2015, the Wild Zoo Halloween path passes through the Indonesian Rain Forest, where guests can see Asmara the baby Sumatran orangutan before the zoo closes for the winter. Asmara was born November 22, 2014. Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered in the wild. In support of orangutan conservation, all treats at the Wild Zoo Halloween presented by Star Financial Bank are palm-oil free or are manufactured by companies that are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The sustainable production of palm oil is crucial to the survival of orangutans, because their rain forest habitat is often destroyed to create poorly managed and unsustainable palm oil plantations.
In addition to the Indonesian Rain Forest, the Central Zoo, portions of the Australian Adventure, and the Parkview Physicians Group Pavilions will be open during the event.
The Wild Zoo Halloween presented by STAR Financial Bank is a fundraiser for the zoo, which is a nonprofit organization receiving no tax funding for operations.
Admission to the Wild Zoo Halloween presented by STAR Financial Bank is $5 for all ages; admission with treats is $9 for all ages. Zoo Members receive $2 off admission. Babies age 1 and under are admitted free but are charged $4 if they receive treats. Additional fees are charged for the Z.O.&O. Railroad, Endangered Species Carousel, pony ride, and bracelet-making. Food is available for purchase.
Thanks to these generous sponsors for their support of the Wild Zoo Halloween presented by STAR Financial Bank: STAR Financial Bank, Lutheran Health Network, Steel Dynamics, Inc, Sweetwater, BAE Systems, 3 Rivers Credit Union, Mainstay Solutions, NIPSCO, Bob Evans, Lee’s Famous Recipe, Granite City Food & Brewery, McDonald’s, and Ellison Bakery.
About the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo’s mission is to connect kids and animals, strengthen families, and inspire people to care. The zoo is northeast Indiana’s largest tourist attraction, hosting more than 550,000 guests annually. The zoo received the 2015 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award, was named the #7 Zoo in the United States and the #20 zoo in the world by TripAdvisor, was voted Indiana’s #1 “Gotta-Do Summer Attraction,” and is consistently named one of the nation’s Top Ten Zoos for Kids by national media outlets.The zoo is a conservation leader, contributing more than $80,000 annually to local, regional, and international efforts to protect wild animals and habitats, and participating in cooperative management programs for 91 endangered species and taxa. The zoo was named Northeast Indiana’s Sustainable Business of the Year in 2014.
As a self-supporting facility, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo receives no tax dollars for operations. The zoo’s operations are funded entirely by earned revenue and donations.
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