News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:         
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Public Relations
619-685-3291

WEBSITE:
sdzwa.org

NEWS RELEASE

Celebrate HalGLOWeen and Autumn Festival During Kids Free Month at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Children 11 and Younger Receive Free Admission in October at Both Wildlife Parks

SAN DIEGO (Aug. 18, 2022) – It’s that time of year again! The San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are celebrating the fall season with a month full of fun for the whole family. Throughout the entire month of October, youths ages 11 and younger will receive free admission to both wildlife parks and can take part in special weekend activities, including unique entertainment, culinary treats and one-of-a-kind encounters with amazing wildlife.
HalGLOWeen

                  HalGLOWeen, the Halloween-themed extravaganza at the San Diego Zoo, has become an annual “must” for the whole family. Each weekend—Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 1 through 29—this light-up-the-night spectacular will provide guests with remarkable wildlife encounters, “fang-tastic” entertainment and festivities. After the sun sets, from 5 to 9 p.m., guests can enjoy a multitude of experiences, including live music, amazing performances, awesome interactive fun, such as Dr. Zoolittle’s Tricks or Treats, hosted by the Zoo’s zany maestro of fun. This year, Squash, Gourdon and Alicia, three oversized neon pumpkins performed by The GLOW-Go’s, will put a smile on everyone’s faces as they banter, tell jokes and sing. The Skeleton Band and San Diego Zoo Rock Radio 201.8 will fill the night air with seasonal hits. Eerie organist Dusty Keys is set to enchant guests with ghostly tunes, while the Spooky Revue and the Wildlife Explorers Basecamp spider will show off their kooky acrobatic skills. In addition, at the much-loved Bubble Dance Party, everyone can dance the night away among billions of bubbles as a DJ plays the hits. Guests also can meet and greet the Zoo’s Boo Crew and find delicious seasonal treats at eateries throughout the Zoo.

                  During the day, Zoo guests also have the opportunity to venture through the 3.2-acre state-of-the-art, multi-ecosystem experience, Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp. Wildlife Explorers Basecamp provides guests of all ages with an up-close look at nature and offers fresh, high-tech interactive opportunities that nurture empathy for wildlife. Inside Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, Zoo guests will encounter distinct ecosystems—Rainforest, Wild Woods, Marsh Meadows and Desert Dunes—and visit with a wide variety of fascinating species. Guests will get the chance to engage on a deeper level by utilizing full sensory and multifaceted elements, including “parallel play” opportunities —from climbing and crawling around a massive tree house to exploring amazing waterplay elements, experiencing interactive touchscreen games, using microscopes to reveal natural wonders, and discovering specialized animation that utilizes artificial-intelligence (AI), dynamic lighting and whole-room scented environments.
Autumn Festival

                  The San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Autumn Festival is back, following a very successful debut last year. Safari Park guests are invited each weekend—Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 8–30—to celebrate the season by enjoying special fall-themed entertainment and culinary comforts. This year, guests will have the opportunity to experience the antics of the Safari Park’s Not-so-Scary

 Scarecrows. These happy-go-lucky characters will amaze and amuse guests by showing off their skills at juggling and stilt jumping. They will help young kids navigate the A-MAZE-ing Autumn Adventure maze and host the Autumn Festival Jamboree country dance party. The Barn Owls are back, and will keep everyone entertained with their toe-tapping bluegrass style. Safari Parker, explorer and adventurer extraordinaire, will share fascinating and educational insights about the importance of wildlife to our ecosystem, including tips on how we can help support and protect habitats before they disappear. Each night, visitors can witness the beautiful sight of custom lanterns during the Lantern Ceremony, including a pre-show visit by scarecrows. And at the Safari Park’s many restaurants, guests will discover remarkable tastes of autumn, with everything from pumpkin-spiced coffee and apple pie to pumpkin-flavored beer and apple cider.

                  Apart from the amazing Autumn Festival activities, guests can take part in a variety of thrilling Safaris, such as flying by zip line over expansive wildlife habitats on Flightline Safari, stepping aboard a caravan truck for a trip through the Safari Park’s African savanna during a Wildlife Safari, or spending an amazing night under the stars during a Roar and Snore sleepover experience.

                  HalGLOWeen festivities take place only at the Zoo, and Autumn Festival takes place only at the Safari Park. Both experiences are free with paid admission or membership. For more information about Kids Free, HalGLOWeen and Autumn Festival, including event dates, operating hours, and additional information, visit sdzwa.org.

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About San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit international conservation leader, committed to inspiring a passion for nature and working toward a world where all life thrives. The Alliance empowers people from around the globe to support their mission to conserve wildlife through innovation and partnerships. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports cutting-edge conservation and brings the stories of their work back to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park—giving millions of guests, in person and virtually, the opportunity to experience conservation in action. The work of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance extends from San Diego to eco-regional conservation “hubs” across the globe, where their expertise and assets—including the renowned Wildlife Biodiversity Bank—are able to effectively align with hundreds of regional partners to improve outcomes for wildlife in more coordinated efforts. By leveraging these skills in wildlife care and conservation science, and through collaboration with hundreds of partners, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has reintroduced more than 44 endangered species to native habitats. Each year, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s work reaches over 1 billion people in 150 countries via news media, social media, their websites, educational resources and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers television programming, which is in children’s hospitals in 13 countries. Success is made possible by the support of members, donors and guests to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, who are Wildlife Allies committed to ensuring all life thrives. 

Hours of Operation:

• HalGLOWeen at the San Diego Zoo
  • 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each weekend in October
• Autumn Festival at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park 
  • 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekends only