[Columbia, SC] - Nearly 10,000 kids and parents attended Boo at the Zoo last weekend making it the second highest attended weekend in the five year history of the “spooktacular” event. To prepare for the crowds that are expected this weekend, 200,000 additional pieces of candy were ordered to hand out by the time that Boo ends on Tuesday. “The popularity of Halloween continues to grow at Riverbanks and nationwide,” said Dargan Davis, public relations manager at Riverbanks. “We’ve noticed that families are not only attending one night of Boo at the Zoo, but they are coming back each weekend because their kids love to dress up and the parents seem to really enjoy the fun, family alternative to neighborhood trick-or-treating.” According to the National Retail Federation celebrating Halloween has become a nationwide trend. Halloween is expected to generate nearly $5 billion in business this year alone. Trend watchers have also noticed that Halloween like Christmas has transformed into a season-long event. It is no longer celebrated for one day or night only but for an entire month. By the end of the three-weekend run, Riverbanks staff and volunteers are expecting to hand out over 400,000 pieces of candy. The final weekend will run from Friday, October 26, through Tuesday, October 30. The gates will open at 6pm each evening. All families that are planning on attending Boo at the Zoo are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. For your convenience, Riverbanks offers print-at-home eTickets for Boo at the Zoo. Click on the eTickets store icon on the Riverbanks homepage to purchase your tickets online. Purchasing and printing your tickets at home will expedite entry into the event by allowing your family to bypass the ticket line. Tickets can also be purchased during the day at the Zoo and Garden entrance. Favorite attractions this year at Boo at the Zoo include a trick-or-treat trail, Frankenstein’s Foam Zone, an endangered species graveyard and the Mummy’s Eeky-Freaky DJ Dance Party. This year also offers some frightfully fun new activities. Kids can venture inside a pirate-themed hay maze and wander down the Wicked Wooded Walk. Some activities require additional Safari Bucks that can be purchased throughout the Zoo. These activities include: the Haunted Carousel, Marshmallow Roasting Pit and the all-new 3D Halloween movie Fun House Express. Tickets are $5 for Riverbanks members and $7 for the general public. Kids and adults are the same price, but children who are under age 3 and do not trick-or-treat are free. Parents can help kids prepare for a good time by leaving their homemade trick-or-treat bags at home. Each paying child will receive a Boo bag – the Zoo’s official candy-collecting bag.
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