USC students patiently await the infamous “Halloweek” every year, but did you know that kids in the area look forward to Columbia’s Halloween festivities just as much?
Boo at the Zoo, which takes place at Columbia’s Riverbanks Zoo, is an outrageously popular Halloween attraction for any age. Filled with Halloween fun from start to finish, kids have the opportunity to trick-or-treat for candy, visit animal exhibits, participate in games and activities, and spend hours of fun at the park with their family and friends.
Every year the zoo entertains several hundreds of children and their families during the week leading up to Halloween and this year was certainly no exception. This past Monday the park calculated approximately 800 trick-or-treaters at Boo at the Zoo, but what is more impressive was the amount calculated this past Saturday, with 3,000 in attendance.
Dressed in everything from USC’s mascot Cocky to the classic ghost, and the notorious Clemson football player, children were seen scattered about the zoo with smiles glued to their faces and arms stretched out for candy.
But none of the fun would be possible without the effort put in by the staff. With a total of over 23,000 combined community service hours, it’s important to recognize all the great volunteers that willingly donate their time and effort to help make this event successful year after year. Volunteers represented various USC clubs, Greek organizations, local Columbia high schools, and other groups around the Columbia area. Each volunteer is assigned a station for which they are required to stay at for the entirety of their shift, varying from photographing family photos, distributing animal color cards, handing out candy, and much more!
So get your Halloweek on and join in on the family friendly scares at Boo at the Zoo!