If you are wondering when the city’s favorite animal-themed Halloween event kicks off, you are in for a treat this year. For the first time in its 20-year history, the Philadelphia Zoo has significantly extended its seasonal programming. Because of the expanded Boo at the Zoo 2026 schedule, visitors now have five full weekends to enjoy the festivities.
The 2026 Boo at the Zoo Schedule: The event runs from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM on the following dates:
- Weekend 1: Saturday, Oct 3 & Sunday, Oct 4
- Weekend 2: Saturday, Oct 10, Sunday, Oct 11 & Monday, Oct 12 (Indigenous Peoples’ Day)
- Weekend 3: Saturday, Oct 17 & Sunday, Oct 18
- Weekend 4: Saturday, Oct 24 & Sunday, Oct 25
- Weekend 5: Saturday, Oct 31 (Halloween) & Sunday, Nov 1
One of the biggest highlights is watching the animals interact with their seasonal pumpkin enrichments, generously donated by Riverwards Produce. If you want to see the viral hippos chomp down on giant pumpkins, make sure you are at the African Plains at 2:00 PM on Saturdays. Sundays feature the big cats at 10:00 AM and the gorillas at 12:30 PM.
After spending the daytime hours watching giant tortoises and bears enjoy the harvest, you can head back to your neighborhood to prepare for the evening candy rush. To ensure you time your neighborhood walking route perfectly, check out the trick-or-treat times in Philadelphia. And if you are child-free or dropping the kids off with a sitter after the zoo, you can cap off your night by finding the best Halloween bars in Philadelphia to keep the festive spirits flowing.
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