Your child loooooves animals.
And Halloween.
Maybe they are even already planning what animal to be when they head out to trick or treat? Yup. You have a animalweener—a kid who knows when two good things belong together. What better way to make their October sing than watching animals chomp on pumpkins or XX ?
If you live in Puget Sound, you’re in luck. Local zoos, wildlife sanctuaries and local neighborhoods will be host events focused on, or for the benefit of, animals and your child is invited—in fact, encouraged—to put on their costume and be part of the fun. Here are a few to consider. And as you do, consider joining in yourself. Surprise your kid by dressing up as your own favorite animal.
Bearly able to contain the fun at Northwest Trek (Katie Cotterill / NW Trek)
Pumpkin Chomp & Stomp at Northwest Trek
Watch the animals chomp, stomp and roll all day. Slide and climb at the Kids’ Trek playground, and take a Free-Roaming Area premier tour to spot elk, moose, bison, and more. Or just get close to nature on our paths. Do come in costume – but adults, leave the scary masks and face paint at home. Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4 | 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville | Free with cost of admission | Tickets | All ages |
Flying high at Volunteer Park pet parade (Photo courtesy Volunteer Park Trust)
Volunteer Park Halloween Pet Parade
The parade is back and expect it to be bigger and sillier than ever. Last year over 900 community members rolled through Volunteer Park in creative costumes as did your pets. It’s fabulous furry family fun. Not to mention prizes, food trucks, and more. Check Volunteer Park Trust’s website for details. Sunday, October 4 | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Volunteer Park | Free | All ages |
Wag-o-Ween (Photo courtesy The Noah Center Wag-o-Ween)
It’s more than a dog costume contest! Come with your costumed pet or just to see others’ pets all dressed up and to join in a trick-or-treat walk with four-legged friends. Be sure to register to be part of the fun! The event will be at two different locations on the same day and same time frame. Human costumes encouraged. Saturday, October 10 | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Legion Park in Arlington or Haywire Brewing in Snohomish | $25 (one person and one dog), $20 (additional person), $5 (additional dog) | Register | All ages |
Kids out for Hoot ‘n’ Howl (Photo by Katie G. Cotterill / Northwest Trek)
Put your favorite costumes on and explore the wildlife park at twilight, where spooky lights, animals, games, treats and family-friendly nighttime adventures await. At the Picnic Pavilion, families can play games including skeeball, flower toss, and lilypad launch, with chances to win prizes. Throughout the wildlife park, trick-or-treat stations offer plenty of opportunities to collect candy while exploring the decorated animal paths. Young adventurers can climb like a spider or swoop like a bat and create a mini gnome/troll/nature creature out of a pinecone in the Kids’ Trek play area. October 16-17, 23-24 & 30 | Fridays & Saturdays, 5-9 p.m. | Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville | $18 (general), $16 (members), $25 (at the gate) | Tickets | All ages |
That goat isn’t scared at all (Photo by Oona Copperhill / PDZA)
Zoo Boo at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Come in costume as your favorite creature and as you explore zoo creatures enjoy ghostly games, treats and plenty of Halloween decorations throughout the zoo. The celebration continues with special pumpkin enrichments for the animals. Watch as zoo animals enjoy fall-themed treats, then head to the Picnic Pavilion for a costume parade and dance party (10:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.). Don’t miss divers who will carve pumpkins beneath the surface in the Northwest Waters habitat of the Pacific Seas Aquarium (11 a.m.) and the Lagoon habitat of the Tropical Reef Aquarium (2 p.m.). Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma | Free with cost of admission | Tickets | All ages |
I’m a hot dog with mustard. Really. (Photo courtesy Kelsey Creek Farm)
Trick or Treat with the Farm Animals
At this popular Bellevue animal stop, staff and the farm animals will be dressed up in costumes and costumed kids (and those who just want to visit in their regular garb) are invited to trick-or-treating with farm animals. What will you find? Perhaps goat dressed up as a pumpkin, a bunny as a hotdog and a pony as a unicorn. Kids can also decorate a trick-or-treating bag, create farm-themed crafts, participate in spooky science experiments and play pumpkin bowling (an adult/child activity). Saturday, October 24 | 1-3 p.m. | Kelsey Creek Farm, Bellevue | $30 (Bellevue residents), $36 (nonresidents) | Register | All ages |
(Graphic courtesy Crown Hill)
Crown Hill-O-Ween Pet Costume Party and Parade
It’s the six year for this popular parade and pet costume contest. The Crown Hill-O-Ween Pet Costume Spooktacular is also a pet food drive, so along with bringing your costumed kids and pets, bring pet food for the drive. Judges will decide who wins in five categories: spookiest, funniest, most creative, best group, and best in show. The Great Pumpkin will be onsite to terrify the village (or join you in the photo booth). Check the event website for details and registration. Sunday, October 25 | 1-3 p.m. | Crown Hill Park, Seattle | Free | All ages |
Underwater pumpkin carving at Seattle Aquarium (Photo courtesy Seattle Aquarium)
Halloween at the Aquarium
Prepare yourself for a frightfully fun day and a spooktacular story time. Watch aquarium divers as they carve pumpkins underwater and vote on your favorite creations. Master pumpkin carver Russ Leno will transform a giant pumpkin into a gourd-geous work of art. The aquarium’s “bone-chilling” scavenger hunt will feature x-rays of some of the facility’s residents. Saturday, October 31 | 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Seattle Aquarium | Free with cost of admission | Tickets | All ages |
I otter eat some pumpkin (Photo couresty Woodland Park Zoo)
Woodland Park Zoo Pumpkin Bash
Kids will have a blast trick-or-treating throughout the zoo and while participating in the special mascot-led costume parade, Boo-mazium will be a hub of excitement, featuring a variety of activities, including a live pumpkin carving demonstration on Sunday! Many zoo animals, including bears, tapirs, wolves, tigers and otters, will get into the Halloween spirit as they gobble, smash, crunch, or play with pumpkins and other autumn-themed treats, which double as mental enrichments. Saturday, October 31 | 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle | Free with cost of admission. One child 12 years and under is admitted to the zoo FREE per each full-priced adult ticket, and costumes are encouraged. | Tickets | All ages |
I see a little heard inside this pumkin (Photo courtesy Cougar Mountain Zoo)
Howl-O-Ween at Cougar Mountain Zoo
One more opportunity to put on that costume: Get into the spooky spirit for Cougar Mountain Zoo’s Howl-O-Ween event. Expect lots of Halloween-themed activities, including a costume contest, pumpkin scavenger hunt, trick or treating around the zoo, and Halloween-themed enrichments for the animals. You will also get to visit the spooky reptile house. Saturday, October 31 | Time TBA | Cougar Mountain Zoo, Issaquah | Cost TBA | Tickets | All ages |
