Come on out to the “Boo at the Zoo” event! Each year, the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo’s “Boo at the Zoo” gets better and better! Tonight from 3-7 p.m., the zoo will welcome more than 4,500 people through its gates and on to an area in its 10 acre forest as it is transformed into a spooky, but safe, trick-or-treat event for the entire family.
The admission to the zoo is one canned food item per person. The canned goods will be passed on to two local food banks, Gainesville Harvest, and Catholic Charities, to help feed individuals and families in need, just in time for the holidays. Boo at the Zoo’s charitable message is, “Gainesville CAN make a difference.” With the number of visitors anticipated this year, they expect to make quite a dent in hunger with their canned donations.
Visitors to Boo at the Zoo will be guided through the zoo’s wheelchair and stroller accessible, quarter-mile walking trail, past 14 Halloween-themed candy stations. Just imagine! You can visit Super Heroes one minute and traipse through Candy Land at the next. Don’t forget to stop at Toy Story’s location to take a quick picture with Woody and Buzz! Peter Pan and Scooby Doo will be on hand waiting for their photo ops too! And of course you can’t go anywhere this year without running into a Pokemon or two at their very own Pokemon station.
The stations will be operated by costumed zookeepers from SF’s Zoo Animal Technology program. More than 10,000 pieces of candy will be given out in just a single evening! But not just any candy is given out. The zoo is careful to choose candies from companies that promote the sustainable use of palm oil, which helps safeguard the future of orangutans in the wild. Palm oil comes from the fruit of the African oil palm tree and is found in many foods we eat, to include this candy. Supporting these companies and products is just one simple way to help in the conservation of wildlife.
If you plan on coming, please come in costume and bring a bag or bucket to hold your candy. It is recommended that guests attending after 6 p.m. bring a flashlight.
Note, the zoo will be closed on the day of the event until 3:00 p.m. (Oct. 31) to prepare for all of the visitors.
Event partners include Danscompany of Gainesville, who will be performing their always awaited for performance of Thriller on the zoo lawn. If you get hungry, Gator Dominos will be selling pizza and sodas. And we can’t forget Fun For Gator Kids! Watch this past “Boo at the Zoo” video
Just a few things to remember during the event:
- Do not feed the animals, or the people dressed like animals
- No pets allowed, but we really like people dressed like their pets
- Please stay on the pathways, even if you can fly
- Keep you fins, wings, tails, and very large ears on at all times
- Place all litter (the wrappers that our sustainable candy comes in) in to the proper trash receptacles