FAQ: Halloween events with boo-zy cocktails, trick-or-treating at National Zoo

Boo at the Zoo
Boo at the Zoo at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. (Courtesy Juan-Carlos Briceno, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

Two spooky events are set to make their return to Smithsonian’s National Zoo in D.C. just before Halloween.

Boo at the Zoo will take place on Oct. 18-20 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., while Night of the Living Zoo will take place on Friday, Oct. 25 from 7 to 11 p.m.

  • Q: What's Boo at the Zoo?
  • Kids and their families come dressed in their favorite costumes to trick-or-treat during Boo at the Zoo. There will be candy at 30 trick-or-treat stations. Visitors can look at animals interacting with jack-o’-lanterns and see spooky scenes of frolicking skeletons and other features along the zoo’s main walkway. If you’re a member, you can enter Boo at the Zoo an hour early, at 5 p.m.

  • Q: What's Night of the Living Zoo?
  • Night of the Living Zoo is a Halloween party that’s specifically for adults. It will include an open cocktail bar and food for purchase. According to the zoo, you can enjoy a drink while witnessing amazing circus acts and ghoulish scenes on the Zoo’s main walkway. Guests can groove to the music, get flash tattoos (for an added charge) and capture the night in a photo booth.

    You have to be at least 21 years old to attend and have an ID. The latest time you can enter the party is 10:30 p.m.

  • Q: What animals can I see during Night of the Living Zoo?
  • Most of the zoo’s animals won’t be featured during the party at all as they’ll be sleeping through the spooky celebration. Partygoers hoping to catch a glimpse of reptiles can head to their exhibit from 7 to 9 p.m. All other indoor exhibits will be locked off.

  • Q: Where do I get tickets?
  • For Boo at the Zoo, tickets are $25 for members (up to six tickets) and $35 for nonmembers. Tickets will be available for the public on sale on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. Parking is $30.

    For Night of the Living Zoo, tickets are $55 for members (up to six tickets) and $65 for nonmembers. Tickets will be available on sale for members on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. It’ll be open to the public on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. A parking pass is $30.

    The zoo said tickets bought for these events will go to the work they’re doing to save endangered species.

  • Q: Where can I park?
  • If you arrive by car, you have to enter through the zoo’s main vehicle entrance at 3001 Connecticut Ave. in Northwest D.C. If you arrive by Metro, exit at either the Woodley Park-Zoo or Cleveland Park stations.

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Tadiwos Abedje

Tadi Abedje is a freelance digital writer/editor for WTOP. He was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Northern Virginia. Journalism has been his No. 1 passion since he was a kid and he is blessed to be around people, telling their stories and sharing them with the world.

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