HallZOOween returns to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on select weekends this fall, with trick-or-treat stations, animal enrichment and a costume parade included in regular zoo admission. The event runs October 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 and Oct. 31-Nov. 1, from noon to 5 p.m. each day.
Unlike some seasonal zoo events that charge extra, HallZOOween itself is free with zoo admission or membership. A few individual attractions inside the event carry their own cost, which is worth knowing before families plan a full day.
What Families Will Find
Trick-or-treat stations are set up throughout the zoo grounds during event hours. The zoo asks guests to bring their own treat bags rather than use disposable ones, part of an ongoing sustainability push tied to the event’s other conservation messaging.
Each day opens with the Costume Cavalcade, a short parade that kicks off HallZOOween. Families who want to walk in it should meet in front of the Welcome Center by 11:45 a.m.; the parade itself starts at noon.
Other activities included with admission:
- Special animal enrichment sessions and keeper chats
- Juniper & Hazel’s Jamboree at the Clubhouse, with games, coloring stations and a “Boo-tique” where kids can get their nails painted
- Fall-themed food items, including caramel apples, pumpkin latte and caramel corn
- A search-and-find game for three Fiona the hippo statues hidden around the zoo, each dressed in a different costume that may change week to week
- Phil Dalton’s Theater of Illusion, with shows at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Two attractions run at an additional charge on top of admission: the Pumpkin Express Train Ride and the Not So Scare-ousel.
Costume Rules Worth Knowing
Costumes are encouraged for kids but not required, and the zoo’s guidelines lean toward keeping things kid-friendly rather than restrictive. A few rules stand out for families packing a costume bag:
- Costumes can’t be gory, violent or otherwise not family-friendly, and that standard applies to adults, too
- Adults may not wear masks that cover the face; the zoo reserves the right to ask that they be removed
- Toy weapons that closely resemble real firearms aren’t allowed, though fantasy props like lightsabers or Minecraft-style swords are fine
- Costumes with sharp or pointed pieces, including bow-and-arrow sets, aren’t permitted
- Inflatable costumes are limited to children under 12
Guests whose costumes don’t meet the guidelines may be asked to modify them or, in some cases, be refused entry or removed from the zoo.
Sustainable Candy, If You’re Buying
The zoo ties HallZOOween to a broader message about palm oil and orangutan conservation, since Bornean and Sumatran orangutans are endangered in part due to habitat loss from palm oil production. Indonesia produces most of the world’s supply, according to the zoo, often at the expense of rainforest habitat. The zoo publishes a shopping guide for identifying candy made with palm oil certified by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, useful for parents stocking up before the trick-or-treat stations.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45220
- Dates: Oct. 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 and Oct. 31-Nov. 1
- Time: Noon to 5 p.m.
- Admission: Free with paid zoo admission or membership
- Phone: (513) 281-4700
- Official event page: cincinnatizoo.org/events/hallzooween
Families looking for more fall options nearby can check our full list of things to do in Cincinnati with kids for other seasonal picks.
