Friday night, October 16, 2026, Boo at the Louisville Zoo is $14.25 for non members, $8.50 for members, free for ages 2 and under, and $12.25 for a Meijer anytime ticket. Saturday, October 17, adds a play hour at the Fairdale library with no fee posted and a Wallace and Gromit screening at the Speed whose printed ticket is $12. JCPS Insider checked the organizer pages on October 3, 2026, and rechecked the zoo prices on October 12. Times are Eastern.
What does Friday night at the zoo cost?
The Friday, October 16 page and the series page list Boo at the Zoo at 1100 Trevilian Way, Louisville, KY 40213. The series page includes October 15 through 18, so Saturday, October 17 is the same party, not a different event. The nightly line is 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the party, guests may enter until 9 p.m., and everyone must leave by 10 p.m. The Friday listing also prints the clock time as 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., which matches that exit. A ticket is required for ages 3 and older, and tickets are sold in advance on the zoo site. Meijer anytime tickets are $12.25 and work any Boo night. Three guests who are not members, at the posted $14.25 price, come to $42.75 before snacks. Time slots are capacity limited, so check availability on the zoo site before you leave.
Parking is included. The night is rain or shine, with no refunds or exchanges. Trick or treating is for ages 11 and under, one loop, and the zoo puts that route at about 1.3 miles. Most animals will not be out. On Boo nights the daytime gates close at 3 p.m., and daytime guests may stay until 4 p.m. Adults may not wear masks that cover the whole face. The allergy friendly night is Wednesday, October 28, not this weekend. Phone 502 459 2181.
What is included in a Boo at the Zoo ticket?
The ticket covers trick or treating and three attractions, according to the zoo's Boo at the Zoo page, rechecked October 12, 2026. The page lists the Spooktacular Carousel, a guided Headless Horseman walk through, and the "not so itsy bitsy" Spider House, a guided walk past live spiders and their webs with no barriers. If a child is afraid of spiders, skip that one.
What time is best for Boo at the Zoo?
Later is usually easier. The zoo's party tips say 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. is the most popular party time and suggest coming later for the lit pumpkins and lights at dusk.
Timed tickets are sold until 8:30 p.m. each night.
What should you bring to Boo at the Zoo?
Bring a treat bag. Have the ticket email or a screenshot ready on your phone, or print the tickets. Reusable cloth treat bags are $3 at the gift shop.
Wear comfortable shoes. The page puts the route at 20 treat booths and about 3,330 steps.
Bring rain or cold weather gear, since the zoo does not cancel for ordinary weather. In rare inclement weather, the page says, the zoo will post closing announcements on social media and on its website.
Costumes are welcome but not required for kids. Smoking, including e cigarettes, is not allowed anywhere on zoo grounds during Boo.
Can you rent a stroller or wagon at Boo at the Zoo?
Yes. The page says the zoo rents strollers, wagons, and a limited number of wheelchairs from the front plaza. A limited number of electric wheelchairs can be reserved online in advance. Unreserved electric wheelchairs go first come, first served.
Some concession stands and gift stands are open during Boo. Members get 10% off select items, but the discount does not apply to sale items or alcohol.
What is the Saturday morning library hour?
Pint Size Playdate runs 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday. The library page places it in the Fairdale meeting room, 10620 West Manslick Road, Louisville, KY 40118. Louisville Free Public Library lists it for ages 0 to 5. The description says it is a chance to meet families and play, and that the library provides coffee and toys. Phone 502 375 2051. It does not say registration is required. It also does not print the word free. It is a library program with no price on the page, which is the same standard used here for other library hours that do not show a charge.
Fairdale is a different drive from the zoo. If nap time rules the morning out, the film below is the afternoon plan.
What does the Saturday film cost?
The film page lists the $12 ticket, $8 for Speed members and free for students with a valid ID, at 2035 South Third St., Louisville, KY 40208. The program is the classic shorts, and the page gives the package a running time of 85 minutes, which fits the 3 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. slot. Phone 502 634 2700. The visit page says cinema screenings are not included in gallery admission and need their own ticket. The film page does not add the Saturday gallery prices on top of the $12. Those gallery prices are a different door: $25 for adults 18 to 59, $21 for children 4 to 17, and $23 for seniors 60 and older. If you only want the film, use the cinema ticket. If you also want the galleries on Saturday, those are the gallery prices above. Sunday gallery admission is pay what you can, including free, but Sunday is outside this piece.
The film page did not say the screening was sold out on October 3. Buy the ticket the page is selling rather than assuming the gallery door covers the movie.
What should you do before Friday night?
Buy the zoo ticket before you leave, because the page says advance purchase is required and the night does not offer refunds. If Saturday morning is the easier plan, Fairdale starts at 10:30 a.m. and does not show a fee. If Saturday is the movie, the printed ticket is $12 and the building is on South Third Street, not Trevilian Way. For a plan that does not need a ticket at all, use Free Outings.