Dress up in your favorite costume and bring the whole family trick-or- treating at Utica Zoo’s 30th annual Spooktacular fundraising event. Spooktacular is a three-day Halloween event on Oct. 28 and 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Oct. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. (Please note that the Utica Zoo will open at noon Sunday the 30.) Will you dare to ride the Haunted Hayride? Watch Frankenstein become zapped to life in the amphitheater. Spooktacular is a rain or shine event with free parking at the Utica Zoo. Additional free parking with bus shuttles will be available at the Parkway Rec Center and MVCC Payne Hall Lot.
Admission is $3 per person on Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday is $3 for Utica Zoo Members and $5 for not-yet members. A members-only line will be available for all three days, and infants get in free. Admission includes trick-or-treating at 13 different stations throughout the zoo. Dancers from Maria Christina’s School of Dance will perform the famous Thriller dance on Friday and Saturday night. The Haunted Hayride is $3 per person and not included in admission.
Relive your Spooktacular memories by getting your photo taken by Whitesboro Fun Pix. Food trucks and vendors will be there, including Grapevine Gyros, Holy Smoques BBQ Fusion, and Voss’ at the Zoo. Most vendors are cash only and an ATM is located on site near the Sinnott Education Center.
Sunday will be a fall festival. It is the best day to see the animals, and most of them will get pumpkins for enrichment. Sunday also features Autumn Avenue in the Rotary Pavilion with vendors like Candy Jar Confections, Tibbitts Maple, and the Cheese Filled Company. Remsen Social Club will perform live bluegrass music Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.
Utica Zoo Spooktacular is sponsored by MVP Healthcare and Mix 102.5. Trick-or- Treat stations are sponsored by Fidelis Care, Utica Zoo Docents, OCM Boces Animal Science, AMF Pin-O- Rama, Little Caesars, Karate USA, Woodforest Bank, Master Cuts, Walmart, Strawberry Patch Learning Center, Wilcor, Last Tangle Salon, Utica Teachers Union, Amazing Gracie’s Gift Foundation, and Rockin’ Jump. Sponsorships and volunteer opportunities may still be available. Email events@uticazoo.org for more information.
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