Greenville Zoo's Boo in the Zoo is marking its 40th year of spooky season fun, and for the first time, families can trick-or-treat there on Halloween afternoon itself. The event kicked off Wednesday and runs evenings from 3 to 8 p.m. on October 14–18 and October 21–30, with a brand-new October 31 session added from 1 to 4 p.m.
A New Halloween-Day Option Joins the Evening Run
The addition of the Halloween-day session rounds out what is already one of Greenville's longest-running fall traditions, according to WYFF 4. Prisma Health's Boo in the Zoo opened Wednesday at the zoo, running from 3 to 8 p.m., per the station's report. The new October 31 slot runs from 1 to 4 p.m., with last entry at 3:59 p.m., as reported by greenville.com.
Boo in the Zoo is the Greenville Zoo's largest fundraiser of the year, and the station's report notes proceeds help fund animal food, staff pay and keeping the zoo open. Stephanie Bradley, the zoo's education curator, said the fundraiser helps keep the zoo running, per the same account. The event traces back to 1986, meaning this year marks four full decades of the tradition.
Tickets, Trick-or-Treat Upgrades and Timing
Admission costs $15 for nonmembers and $12 for members, with the same rates applying to adults and children ages 2 through 12, the station's report states. Babies ages 0 to 1 get in free. Anyone who wants to trick-or-treat, including babies who'll be collecting candy, needs to add a $3 upgrade at checkout, and trick-or-treating guests receive wristbands at the entrance.
Greenville.com notes a discrepancy worth flagging for anyone planning a visit: one account describes evening admission running from 3 to 8 p.m. on the October dates, while another reference to the event describes it closing at 9 p.m. Visitors should confirm closing times directly with the zoo before heading out.
Themed Trails, Candy Stops and a Light Tunnel
Guests will wind through themed areas including Dragon Alley, Pumpkinville and Ghost Town, plus an interactive light tunnel, costumed characters for photos, a merchandise stand and concessions, according to greenville.com. The route includes 15 trick-or-treat stations between the zoo entrance and the rest of the grounds, per WYFF 4's report. Guests are asked to bring their own trick-or-treat bags, and every minor must be accompanied by an adult.
Behind the scenes, zoo staff start buying candy in early summer and store it in their offices ahead of the event, the station reports. Last year the zoo bought roughly 450,000 pieces of candy for trick-or-treaters, and Bradley said she plans to order at least that much again this time around.
Parking, Shuttles and Getting There Without the Hassle
The event is held at the Greenville Zoo, 150 Cleveland Park Drive, and zoo staff say the parking lot fills up fast on weekends. Free shuttles will run from the Broad Street garage every 10 to 15 minutes on October 16–18, October 23–25 and October 30, according to greenville.com. On Halloween, shuttle service shifts to the daytime schedule, with the first departure from the garage at 12:45 p.m. and the last departure from the zoo at 5 p.m.
Zoo staff recommend buying tickets and merchandise shirts online in advance at greenvillezoo.com rather than waiting to purchase at the gate. John Edds, the zoo's business and finance administrator, advised visitors to arrive early to see the animals before they tire out after sunset, per WYFF 4. The animals themselves tend to follow a schedule similar to the human visitors during the event, the station notes.
Edds, who has watched the event unfold for nearly his entire life, described it to WYFF 4 as almost unreal, reflecting on four decades of the zoo's signature Halloween tradition continuing to draw crowds across its expanded 2026 schedule.
