October is not just for Halloween and Harry Potter marathons — it is also time for the Hattiesburg Zoo’s Annual Zoo Boo.
The annual event, which is held in partnership with the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, will be hosted from Friday, Oct. 22 to Saturday, Oct. 30. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m. each night. This family-friendly event has long been a staple of entertainment and excitement for Hattiesburg residents, and has recently gotten bigger with the Zoo’s recent expansion.
“We recently opened our giraffe exhibit, so that expanded a good portion of the zoo. This year we were able to increase our capacity, since we have a limited number of tickets sold each night. With that extra part of the zoo open that’s gonna give us the opportunity to get a few more guests in, but we are expecting a high turnout this year,” said Demetri Kelly, who manages the Hattiesburg Zoo’s Business Operations and Guest Services.
Guests will be able to enjoy various attractions and Halloween-themed events around the zoo, which include the Monster Mash Dance, the Spook-tacular Express, Carou-Spell, Eerie Animal Shows and Alarming Animal Encounters. Younger guests can even enjoy roasted marshmallows at Crawly Camp Capybara.
There will also be treats available for older guests, too. According to the Hattiesburg Zoo Facebook page, “The Creepy Cantina and Goblin Grill will be open and offering regular menu items with some Spooky Specials and Devilish Drinks that everyone will enjoy!”
When asked about attending the event, Khadiya Smith, a senior Accounting and Finance double major, said she would, “Most definitely. I feel like Hattiesburg doesn’t have a lot of events or things going on especially for people to do [despite it being] a college town.”
People interested in going may need to purchase their tickets in advance, however, since there will be a limited capacity. Tickets are $13 for ages 2 and up available for preorder, but there may be $15 tickets available at the gate. Guests will not be able to use an annual pass to enter the Zoo Boo.
All zoo attractions are included in the price of admission, but guests will have to pay extra for the Haunted High Ropes Adventure Course. The Sky-Trail tickets are $10 while the Sky-Tykes tickets are $5. Tickets for these courses can be purchased at the park.
If guests are feeling tired or want a front row seat to the Monster Mash Dance Party, they can also rent out the Chilling Cabanas For $75. However, the cabanas are on a “first come, first serve” basis.
All ticket sales for the Zoo Boo are final. Though the tickets can be used another night in case of rain, unused tickets will not receive a refund. All guests are also encouraged to dress up in their costumes for the Zoo Boo, but adults are not allowed to wear any masks unless it is for health issues or to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
To purchase tickets for the Zoo Boo, visit linktr.ee/Hattiesburgzoo.
