Grab the costumes one more time: Boo at the Zoo returns to the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium on Saturday and Sunday, October 24–25, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — the sweetest send-off to the Halloween season in Kansas City.
This not-so-scary, family-friendly celebration turns the Zoo in Swope Park into a trick-or-treat trail: kids in costume collect treats throughout the park, enjoy Halloween-themed activities and entertainment, and watch the animals get in on the fun with pumpkin enrichment. All Boo at the Zoo activities are included with regular Zoo admission (free for members), and treat bags are provided at the entrance for children 12 and under. Friends of the Zoo members get an exclusive early hour from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. both days.
Plan your visit
- When: Saturday–Sunday, October 24–25, 2026, 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (members from 8:30 a.m.)
- Where: Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, 6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, MO 64132 (Swope Park)
- Admission: Boo at the Zoo activities included with Zoo admission; parking is always free
- Good to know: family-friendly costumes encouraged; arrive early for the shortest treat lines
- More info: kansascityzoo.org/events
What makes Boo at the Zoo a KC tradition is the setting: 202 acres in historic Swope Park, home to more than 1,700 animals, where the fall foliage frames everything from the African savanna to the new aquarium. It is Halloween layered over a full zoo day — the kind of outing where the candy is a bonus and the animals are the headliners.
And the fun doesn’t stop when the costumes come off: the Zoo’s GloWild lantern festival lights up the park select evenings through December 27, giving families a second reason to return as the holidays approach. Happy City News recommends making a full day of it — morning at the Zoo, trick-or-treating in costume, and the aquarium as the grand finale. See the full events calendar at kansascityzoo.org.
