Zoos and botanical gardens have embraced the Halloween spirit in recent years, transforming into enchanting destinations that captivate visitors with their enormous warty pumpkins, carnivorous plants, immersive arachnid displays, slithering snakes, fluttering bats, and the mesmerizing sight of hundreds, or even thousands, of intricately carved jack-o’-lanterns illuminating the surroundings.
This shift in focus has made these institutions increasingly popular during the Halloween season, offering a unique and exciting alternative or addition to the traditional trick-or-treating experience.
However, beyond the entertainment value, these Halloween-themed exhibits also serve as valuable educational opportunities, as naturalists and conservationists emphasize.
According to Michaela Wright, the manager of interpretive content at the New York Botanical Garden, the fall season is truly a celebration of the natural world, making Halloween and botanical gardens a perfect and harmonious combination.
At the New York Botanical Garden, the month of October is aptly known as “Fall-o-Ween,” where the festivities and attractions reflect the essence of this season.
Wright explains that the garden’s Halloween offerings originated around half a century ago with a haunted greenhouse tour, and since then, it has continuously evolved and expanded to cater to the interests and desires of visitors.
This unique pairing of Halloween and botanical gardens not only creates an immersive and enchanting experience for attendees but also showcases the beauty and wonder of the natural world during this time of the year.
This year, an exciting addition to the Halloween pumpkin patch is the inclusion of exotic heritage varieties in unique colors such as blues, pinks, and other surprising shades.
Alongside these striking varieties, there are also pumpkins covered in warts, adding a touch of intrigue to the patch.
Hosting weekend pumpkin-carving events is the renowned master pumpkin carver, Adam Bierton, a talented sculptor hailing from Rochester, New York, who is well-known for his exceptional skill in creating life-like jack-o’-lanterns.
Additionally, visitors can look forward to the annual display of colossal pumpkins, some of which weigh well over 2,000 pounds each, truly showcasing the impressive magnitude of these seasonal delights.
For those seeking a truly enchanting Halloween experience, the Chicago Botanic Garden offers the highly anticipated “Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns” event.
This captivating event features an array of elaborately painted and intricately carved pumpkins, creating a mesmerizing display of artistry.
To further enhance the festive atmosphere, costumed entertainers roam the garden, adding a touch of whimsy and excitement.
Visitors can also partake in pumpkin-carving demonstrations, providing them with the opportunity to learn from the best in the field.
Furthermore, the event offers a delectable selection of festive food, ensuring that attendees can indulge in culinary delights while immersing themselves in the Halloween spirit.
Beyond the captivating event itself, the Chicago Botanic Garden also provides a range of online adult education classes that cater to the interests of Halloween enthusiasts.
One such class delves into the intriguing realm of “Ghoulish Plants and Folklore,” offering a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating connection between plants and the supernatural.
Additionally, the garden offers a Halloween Hub on its website, serving as a comprehensive resource for information about seasonal plants and pumpkins.
This hub provides a wealth of knowledge, ensuring that visitors can deepen their understanding of these autumnal wonders and make the most of their Halloween experience.
In conclusion, this year’s Halloween festivities promise to be truly remarkable, with the inclusion of exotic heritage pumpkin varieties, the expertise of master pumpkin carver Adam Bierton, and the awe-inspiring display of giant pumpkins.
The “Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns” event at the Chicago Botanic Garden offers a captivating and immersive experience, complete with elaborately painted pumpkins, costumed entertainers, and pumpkin-carving demonstrations.
Furthermore, the garden’s online educational offerings, including a class on “Ghoulish Plants and Folklore” and a Halloween Hub, provide a wealth of information and resources for those looking to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of seasonal plants and pumpkins.
With such an array of attractions, this year’s Halloween celebrations are sure to leave a lasting impression on all who partake in the festivities.
ZOOS TOO
“We started hosting what we call “HalGLOween” back in 2017 and it has since become one of our most highly anticipated events of the year, attracting a significant number of visitors and providing an exceptional platform for us to convey our conservation messages,” asserts Lisa Martin, a wildlife care ambassador for the esteemed San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
Initially, the event spanned a single weekend in October; however, due to its overwhelming popularity, it was expanded to encompass two weekends.
Presently, it is held every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the majority of October, with Halloween emerging as one of the busiest and most sought-after times to visit the zoo.
Unlike traditional trick-or-treating events, “HalGLOween” offers a refreshing departure from the norm by not providing candy, a fact that brings solace to many parents.
This year’s iteration of “HalGLOween” boasts an array of captivating attractions, including a mesmerizing “Skeleton Band,” a captivating “Boo Crew” comprising scarecrow stilt-walkers, and an enchanting illuminated “Python Path” that winds its way through the reptile house, among other captivating events.
Furthermore, a captivating display of arachnids in the Cool Critters building allows children to gain insight into creatures that may initially seem terrifying but prove to be less intimidating in reality, as highlighted by Martin.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, located just north of the city, boasts a unique feature in the form of a bat house. As an accredited botanical garden, the zoo also offers a “Wildlife Explorers Basecamp” where visitors can observe various insects, bee and ant colonies.
Additionally, horticulturists are available to answer questions about plants that may seem eerie, such as strangle-vines and vampire dragon orchids.
Meanwhile, in Indiana, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is hosting a series of “Wild Zoo Halloween” events throughout the month of October, each with a different theme such as “Superhero Weekend,” “Pirates and Princesses Weekend,” and “Witch and Wizard Day.”
For those over 21, the zoo also offers “Rock and Roar Halloween” with live music and drinks. In New York, the Bronx Zoo offers “Boo at the Zoo” events during the day and “Pumpkin Nights” after sunset, where guests can follow a trail of over 5,000 illuminated jack-o’-lanterns while learning about nocturnal animal behavior.
These unique and exciting Halloween events provide a fun and educational experience for visitors of all ages.
According to Martin, a representative of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, people tend to learn more effectively when they are enjoying themselves.
With this in mind, the organization has decided to incorporate Halloween-themed activities into their educational programming in order to engage visitors and promote a greater understanding of conservation efforts.
By providing an entertaining and interactive experience, the Zoo hopes to attract a wider audience and inspire them to become more invested in the preservation of endangered species and their habitats.
Through this approach, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is demonstrating their commitment to not only educating the public on the importance of conservation, but also to making the learning process enjoyable and accessible to all.