Hoots & Howls 2026: Daytime Halloween Event

Calling all ghouls and goblins, it’s almost time to trick-or-treat around the Zoo at our annual Hoots & Howls event brought to you by Chase!

Hoots & Howls 2026 will take place over the last three weekends in October, plus Halloween day!

October 10–11, 17–18, 24–25, and 31st

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. The last candy trail tickets are sold at 3:00 p.m. 

Thanks to the generous support of Chase, Hoots & Howls activities include:

– 10 candy stations throughout the Zoo (*for an additional cost)

– Magic shows featuring Lathan’s Dazzling Magic at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

– Interactive animal shows at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at Gigi’s Porch in Alabama Wilds

– A high-energy Dino Dance party following the popular costume parade and contest at noon

– DJs from Feel the Beat spinning spooky tunes all day near Henley Lawn

– Lawn games and plenty of photo ops

Members of the 501st Legion (Star Wars) will be at Hoots & Howls on October 10th. The Birmingham Public Library will have storytellers at Gigi’s Back Porch on October 10th, 17th, 24th, 25th, and 31st.

Hoots & Howls is a rain-or-shine event. All candy trail wristband and candy trail ticket sales are final and non-refundable. Event activities are included with your Zoo admission with the exception of the candy trail, which is available at an additional cost.

You can enhance your experience with a $15.00 Candy Trail wristband, which includes:

• Access to all candy stations
• Unlimited rides on the Red Diamond Express Train
• Unlimited climbs on the Full Moon BBQ Adventure Tower

Purchase your Candy Trail wristband HERE!

Tickets to just the candy trail stations without rides are available for $5.50. The last candy trail tickets will be sold at 3:00 p.m.

Purchase your Candy Trail ticket HERE (candy trail only, no rides)!

ADMISSION IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WRISTBAND OR CANDY TRAIL TICKET PURCHASE.

This year, as part of Hoots & Howls, the Birmingham Zoo will only be using candy that is certified as either palm oil free or made with sustainably harvested palm oil.

What is palm oil?

• Palm oil is an inexpensive edible vegetable oil that is found in many food, beauty, and pet products throughout the world.  Originating from West Africa, this oil palm tree now thrives in rainforests in Asia, Africa and South America.  This popular oil is found in almost 50% of the products you buy from the grocery store!

What’s the problem with palm oil?

• This low-cost oil is in high demand, which has led to growing it as an agricultural crop, often resulting in deforestation and loss of habitat.  In Borneo and Sumatra alone, where critically endangered orangutans live, millions of acres of rainforest are cut down each year to create more palm oil tree farms.

How can you help orangutans?

• Palm oil is a highly productive crop, yielding up to 10 times more oil than canola. When grown sustainably, it can produce more oil on less land while supporting economies in developing countries. Rather than avoiding palm oil entirely, choose products made with certified sustainable palm oil and look for the RSPO certification. And you can start helping orangutans in the wild right here at the Birmingham Zoo, knowing that the Halloween candy provided is either palm oil free or was produced using palm oil that was sustainably harvested!

To learn more about sustainably harvested palm oil, check out these resources from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.