Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo is back at Zoo Atlanta this October, running Saturdays and Sundays on the 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th, and adding Halloween itself, Saturday, October 31. It's the zoo's family Halloween festival, presented by Georgia Natural Gas with support from Kaiser Permanente, and this year it's expanded to five days.

Inside, the zoo takes on a seasonal look. Trick-or-Treat Lane fills with sweets, and costumed characters roam the grounds from 10 AM to 4 PM. You can wake the Komodo dragon, gila monster, and hooded vultures, and there's a 'Ghosts of Trading Cards Past' station for collectors to pick up cards from previous years alongside new ones featuring creepy creatures. The zoo itself is AZA-accredited and home to hundreds of animals from more than 200 species, including one of North America's largest populations of great apes and a global center of excellence for reptiles and amphibians. A few recent updates to the grounds include a new African lion complex that opened in April 2025 and the Rollins Animal Health Center, completed in 2024.

Each day brings a different lineup of performances. Saturday the 17th has 'Ghoulish Grooves with Alyssa' and 'Mad Sciences' with Science Guys of Atlanta. Sunday the 18th features Captain Crimmins & the Story Boat Band and the Magic of Tommy Johns. Saturday the 24th brings back Ghoulish Grooves with Alyssa alongside Princess and Prince performances. Sunday the 25th has 'Mad Sciences' with Science Guys of Atlanta and another Princess and Prince performance. And on Halloween, Saturday the 31st, you'll find 'Mad Sciences' with Science Guys of Atlanta, the Magic of Tommy Johns, and Flow with Libby Seger.

All the dates run from 9 AM to 4 PM at Zoo Atlanta, 800 Cherokee Avenue SE. Admission to Boo at the Zoo is free with general admission, and it's free for Zoo Atlanta members and children under 3.