Edmonton Valley Zoo kicks off annual family-friendly Halloween event

Edmonton Valley Zoo kicked off its "Boo at the Zoo" event that fills the facility full of Halloween festivities and learning stations.

Edmonton Valley Zoo’s Halloween festivities aren’t guaranteed to give you a fright, but that’s on purpose.

Boo at the Zoo was created to cater to kids and their families for fall days filled with guest characters, zoo animals and trick-or-treat stops throughout the grounds.

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Its opening day was Saturday and special events co-ordinator Nicki D’Angelo said everyone celebrates the two-weekend-long event.

“We have so many little dinosaurs, little princesses and little monsters running all around the zoo … our animals are very intrigued by all the interesting visitors we’ve got today,” she said.

It’s also an informational and educational day, with sustainably-sourced treats and opportunities to learn about conservation at the zoo.

“I think it’s a really good event,” said Jasmine Frost-Hunt, a parent at the zoo. “It’s nice because there were quite a few stations for us to be able to stop and take a breath, so it wasn’t as rushed as it is when we normally come to the zoo.”

Boo at the Zoo runs Oct. 18-19 and Oct. 25-26. Tickets must be purchased in advance online.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall