LINCOLN PARK — Lincoln Park Zoo is kicking off its month-long fall festival next month, complete with a pumpkin patch and festive treats.
The event starts Oct. 8 and runs through the end of the month, zoo officials announced Thursday. Admission is free, except for various ticketed events.
The zoo will be transformed into an autumn wonderland where guests can go pumpkin picking, visit a fall-themed pop-up bar and stop to watch the animals.
“After such a toasty summer, come enjoy the autumn weather at the zoo and partake in some harvest fun,” Ellen Ernst, events manager at the zoo, said in a news release. “At Fall Fest at Lincoln Park Zoo, guests can celebrate the changing of the seasons and connect with nature in their urban backyard.”
The pop-up bar, known as Patches’ Pumpkin Bar & Grill, will offer festive food and drinks as well as views of the Pepper Family Wildlife Center, which opens Oct. 14.
The festival also features several ticketed events, like a Pumpkin Walk at the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo with live pumpkin carvers on weekends, the Lionel Train Adventure and the Endangered Species Carousel.
Other ticketed events include Haunted History Tours that explore the zoo’s cemetery roots and alleged haunted history and an Adults Night Out: The Great Pumpkin Glow on Oct. 28.
Most ticketed events cost $3 each or in bulk packages of 10 for $27 and 20 for $51. The Adults Night out event costs $15.
The zoo will also have five photo ops set up, which people can take a picture at and post to Instagram for a chance to win tickets to the ZooLights event later this year.
The festival will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday Oct. 8-31 and on Oct. 11. Tickets for certain events are available on the zoo’s website.
Jake Wittich is a Report for America corps member covering Lakeview, Lincoln Park and LGBTQ communities across the city for Block Club Chicago.
Already subscribe? Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.