Safe, family-friendly activities include: Jack O ‘Lantern Illumination – Creatures of the Night walkthrough experience; 3-D Pumpkin Carving Demos and Displays, Broadway Cast Member Appearances; Costume Parade, Music, Magic, Crafts, and MORE

Boo at the Zoo festivities run FIVE weekends beginning Saturday, Oct 4 and include Columbus Day and Halloween

Oct. 4-5, 11-13, 18-19, 25-26, 31, and Nov. 1-2

New York – Sept. 8, 2014 – Boo at the Zoo: Dragons and Dinosaurs is returning to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo and it may be the last time to check out the Dinosaur Safari: Mysteries Revealed experience before it becomes extinct. This year’s Boo at the Zoo activities are themed around the zoo’s lifelike animatronic dinosaur experience and real-life dinosaurs in the komodo dragon exhibit at Zoo Center.

Boo at the Zoo: Dragons and Dinosaurs is presented by Canon and will begin on Saturday, Oct. 4 and will run for five full weekends including Columbus Day and Halloween. All attractions and activities will embrace the spirit of the season while highlighting wildlife and conservation. Annual favorites including the hay maze, pumpkin carving demos, costume parades, music, magic and more will return with some additional Halloween surprises.

An eerie walk-through experience – Jack O ‘Lantern Illumination – Creatures of the Night – will take over the exhibits in the former World of Darkness creating a one-of-a-kind illuminated Halloween display. Broadway cast members from plays including Pippin, Motown, Cinderella, On the Town, and the Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe will make special appearances. Entertainment will include original musical revue Carnival of Extraordinary Animals and encore performances from magician David Levitan and musical group Gigi and the Lend me a Hand Band

All Boo at the Zoo activities are included with the price of admission with the exception of Dinosaur Safari and the Jack O’Lantern Illumination; both are included with the Total Experience Ticket.

Everyone is encouraged to visit www.bronxzoo.com for a complete schedule of dates, performances and activities.


Jack O ‘Lantern Illumination – Creatures of the Night
Walk through a dark, eerie tunnel filled with more than 1,000 hand-carved and beautifully lit Jack ‘O lanterns meticulously sculpted into various animal shapes. Created by Rise of the Jack O ‘Lanterns, the exhibit lanterns will consist of dozens of intricate, detailed portraits of animals ranging from bats, to reptiles, marine creatures, mammals, nocturnal birds, bugs, and mythical creatures.

Location: By Somba Village
Time: 10:00am - 5:00pm

Dinosaur Safari: Mysteries Revealed
The narrated ride takes adventurers through a two-acre area of the zoo past more than 30 fully-animatronic dinosaurs as they move, snarl, and roar. The entire experience is designed to provide an understanding about how fossils and artifacts are meaningful clues to the mysteries of the past. Tour guides engage with zoo-goers and help them discover how fossils provide insight into what life may have looked like in prehistoric times.

Location: Boarding at Fordham Parking
Time: 10:00am - 5:00pm

3-D Carved Pumpkin Demonstrations
Professional pumpkin carvers from Sand Sculpture USA will be demonstrating their skill and displaying intricate pumpkin carvings of wildlife.

Location: Dancing Crane Plaza
Time: 11am - 5pm

Costume Parade
Visitors can join the enchantment of a Halloween Parade. Hand-made puppets and props built by master costumers will be part of the fun as participants march through the zoo alongside an array of characters from the Alice Farley Dance Company.

Location: Starts at Zoo Center
Time: 12pm and 2pm
Photos available at the end of each performance and from3:30-4pm in Dancing Crane Plaza

Musical Theater: Carnival of Extraordinary Animals
Inspired by the endearing children’s concert by Camille Saint-Saëns, Carnival of Extraordinary Animals re-introduces participants to the species that have left us, such as the Falkland Island Wolf, the Dodo, and of course, dinosaurs. Carnival of Extraordinary Animals was created by puppeteer Noel MacNeal of Sesame Street, Bear in the Big Blue House and several Nickelodeon TV series. Puppets by Puppet Kitchen of NYC. Music by Jim Camacho.

Location: Asia Plaza Theater
Timing: 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm

Hay Maze
Let yourself get lost at the zoo with a Halloween maze filled with sudden starts, stops and lots of adventure.

Location: Butterfly Patio
Time: 11:00am – 5pm

Live Music
Gigi and the Lend me a Hand Band will lead zoo audiences on a musical adventure with Gigi’s Howlin’ Dragons & Dinofest. Audiences will be invited to participate in animal-themed musical performances, songs and dances, and games.

Location: Tent by bear exhibit
Time: 11:30am, 1:00 pm, 3:00pm

Animal Themed Magic Shows
Enjoy a Boo at the Zoo family tradition with remarkable slight-of-hand and optical illusions from magic man David Levitan.

Location: Tent by bear exhibit
Time: 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 4:00pm

Treat Stations
Special locations around the park will help sweeten your visit.

Time: 11:00am –5:00pm

Crafts Workshop
Paint a wildlife-themed pumpkin of your own.

Location: Dancing Crane Plaza
Time: 11:00am – 4:00pm
Sponsor: Fresh Direct; Family Circle

Extinct Animal Graveyard
Learn about endangered and extinct animals at this spooky display.

Location: Mouse House lawn.

Creature Chats
Bronx Zoo animal experts celebrate wildlife iconic to Halloween season.

Location: visit www.bronxzoo.com for full schedule

Boo at the Zoo is made possible by the generosity of these corporate partners:

PRESENTING SPONSOR
Canon

SUPPORTING SPONSORS
IKEA; Empire BlueCross BlueShield

ACTIVITY PARTNERS
Family Circle; Food Network; Fresh Direct

OFFICIAL VEHICLE
Chevrolet

CONTACT:
Max Pulsinelli – 718-220-5182; mpulsinelli@wcs.org
Steve Fairchild – 718-220-5189; sfairchild@wcs.org

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The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays, 5:30 p.m. weekends from April to October; 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m November to March. Adult admission is $16.95, children (3-12 years old) $12.95, children under 3 are free, seniors (65+) are $14.95. Parking is $15 for cars and $18 for buses. The Bronx Zoo is conveniently located off the Bronx River Parkway at Exit 6; by train via the #2 or #5 or by bus via the #9, #12, #19, #22, MetroNorth, or BxM11 Express Bus service (from Manhattan that stops just outside the gate.) To plan your trip, visit bronxzoo.com or call 718-367-1010.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. VISION: WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in more than 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: www.wcs.org; http://www.facebook.com/TheWCS; http://www.youtube.com/user/WCSMedia Follow: @thewcs.