Boo at the Zoo
October 17 @ 9:30 am - 9:00 pm
Free – $18
Visit the Milwaukee County Zoo for a ghoulishly fun event and enjoy the leaves changing color, the crisp air and countless exciting activities. Celebrate the Halloween season at the Milwaukee County Zoo, as Prairie Farms Dairy presents “ Boo at the Zoo ,” on TWO WEEKENDS in 2026!
New for 2026 — Daytime Saturdays!
Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 23-24
Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 23-24
It’s Halloween time at the Zoo! Join the Milwaukee County Zoo for Boo at the Zoo, now featuring a new daytime experience on Saturdays! Enjoy not-so-scary family-friendly activities including a trick-or-treat trail (all day!), pumpkin animal enrichment, dazzling light shows, live entertainment, pumpkin-carving demonstrations, and more. All ghosts and goblins (and their parents) are encouraged to come in costume.
Boo at the Zoo will take place during the next phase of the Front Entry Reconfiguration project. To help the staff manage the popularity of the event, guest safety, and traffic flow, Boo has been extended to the daytime on both Saturdays! Enjoy the Zoo, animals, and festive experience for just the special event admission fee on Saturdays, October 17 & 24.
Boo at the Zoo admission is the only valid ticket for Saturdays October 17 & 24, and tickets will only be available online. General admission and Zoo Pass Membership is not valid on those days. Zoo Pass Members receive 15% off Boo at the Zoo admission, as well as an exclusive, members-only activity during the event.
Boo at the Zoo directly supports the Zoo, the animals in our care, and our conservation work.
What to know about the 2026 Boo at the Zoo:
Dates: October 16 – October 17Times: Friday, October 16 & 23: 4:30 – 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 17 & 24: 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
October 17-19 AND October 24-26 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Tickets are available – must purchase tickets online in advance Boo at the Zoo pre-purchased tickets are required for this event and are now on sale. Follow the Trick-or-Treat Trail through “Adventure Africa” with 10 different sweet spots. (Be sure to bring your own treat bags to gather your goodies, as trick-or-treat bags are not provided.) Be dazzled by a light show and not-so-spooky spots like the Candy Corn Farmer’s Market, Pumpkin Park, Haunted Hollow, and more. Learn about animals at Halloween-themed conservation connections. Stop in for a spell at Mad Science of Milwaukee to enjoy some eerie experiments!
Open animal buildings include: Aquatic & Reptile Center, Dairy Complex, Florence Mila Borchert Big Cat Country, Primates of the World, and Sterns Family Apes of Africa. For their health and safety, outdoor animals are not viewable.
Eat, drink, and be scary! A variety of food and beverages will be available for purchase.
See if you can make your way through our creatively-crafted Harvest Haystack Maze.
It’ll be a “boo-tiful” night for Halloween entertainment with our stilt walkers!
Stroll through hundreds of carved pumpkins at the Gourd Gallery.
Tickets include admission and parking (a $15 value). Boo at the Zoo is held rain or shine. Please purchase carefully, refunds are not provided, and tickets are only valid on the date selected. Zoo Passes are not valid for this special evening.
2026 Boo at the Zoo Pricing
Adults: $18
Juniors (ages 3 to 12): $16
Children (2 and under): Free
Parking: Included in ticket price
Zoo Pass Discount: 15% discount
Boo at the Zoo Details
Boo at the Zoo will feature wicked family-friendly activities including a Trick-or-Treat Trail, live pumpkin-carving demos, dazzling light shows, plus so much more! Several of the animal buildings will be open just for this event! Enjoy these fun not frightful activities:
- Costumes are encouraged but are not required! Adults are welcome to wear costumes — please remember this is a family-friendly event and we ask that all costumes are appropriate for small children and are merry, not scary.
- This is a RAIN OR SHINE EVENT!
- Tickets are nonrefundable and honored only for the specific evening for which they were purchased.
Lake Country Family Fun went to the Boo at the Zoo in 2020. Check out our fun via Facebook or Instagram. We also went in 2018 – when it wasn’t a drive thru. Check that out HERE on Instagram.
Related Events
