A 21+ after-hours Halloween party with seasonal cocktails, DJ music, face painting, and a scavenger hunt at the Houston Zoo.
Spooky Spirits takes over the Houston Zoo on Thursday, October 15, from 6 PM to 10 PM. It's a 21+ night out presented by King & Spalding, and it's one of the specialty evenings tucked into Zoo Boo, the zoo's month-long fall celebration that runs from September 25 through October 31. The zoo bills Zoo Boo as the city's must-visit autumn tradition, and this is the adults-only version.
People show up in Halloween gear and sip seasonal cocktails—the dark purple Witching Hour is one of them—while a DJ plays by the Reflection Pool. There's complimentary face painting and an aura photobooth, and the Zoodiac Quest scavenger hunt takes you across the zoo following animal birth charts. The zoo also opens its habitats for after-hours animal viewing and keeper chats, so you can see the animals when the general crowds are gone. The drinks you buy throughout the night support the zoo's work saving animals in the wild.
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It's worth keeping a few logistics in mind before you head out. The zoo closes early that day at 4 PM, with the last entry at 3 PM, so you'll want to plan your arrival around the 6 PM start. A Spooky Spirits Pass is $44.95, and members save $5 on that. The Houston Zoo was established in 1922 and is an AZA-accredited conservation and education nonprofit.
