Belfast Zoo goes gloriously spooky for a weekend each October — and the star turn is watching the animals themselves get in on it, tucking into carved pumpkins at trick-or-treat feeding times.
What it is — Belfast Zoo's Halloween weekend. Alongside a normal day meeting the animals, there are pumpkin-themed feeding times (the meerkats, elephants and more get carved pumpkins as a treat), spooky animal talks, creepy crafts and eerie sensory play.
The lovely bit — you're invited to bring a carved pumpkin from home for the animals, so your jack-o'-lantern gets a second life as an enrichment treat. Kids love spotting "their" pumpkin being demolished.
Come in fancy dress — dressing up is very much encouraged, so let the little witches, skeletons and pirates loose. It's cute-spooky, not scary — pitched squarely at younger families.
When — a weekend in late October, around Halloween. The exact 2026 dates and any timed feeding-time slots are on the Belfast Zoo events page.
Wrap up and wear good shoes. Belfast Zoo climbs the side of Cave Hill, so it's a hilly outdoor walk in late-October weather — warm coats, wellies and a flask make the day.
Cost — the Halloween activities are included with normal zoo admission (adults around £14.50, children less, under-4s free — check the current rates). No separate ticket for the event itself.
What's on
A spooky day among the animals
It's a normal, brilliant day at the zoo with a Halloween layer on top. Here's the kind of thing to look out for.
🎃Trick-or-treat feedingThe headline act — watch keepers give carved pumpkins to the animals at special feeding times, from meerkats to the elephants.
🗣️Spooky animal talksKeeper talks with a Halloween twist — the bats, spiders and creatures of the night get their moment.
✂️Creepy craftsMake-and-take Halloween crafts to keep little hands busy between enclosures.
🫧Eerie sensory playGentle, hands-on spooky sensory activities for the youngest visitors.
🦡Meet the animalsIt's still the full zoo — red pandas, big cats, primates and the whole hillside of animals to visit.
👻Fancy dressEveryone in costume — the friendliest, cutest Halloween crowd you'll find, with photo moments everywhere.
Plan your visit
Getting the best out of the day
The single best tip is to check the feeding-time slots before you go and build your visit around them — seeing an animal tuck into a pumpkin is the moment the kids will remember, and the times are set. Carve a pumpkin at home the night before and bring it along for the animals. Come in costume, wrap up warm, and give yourselves a good few hours: Belfast Zoo is a big hillside site and you'll want time to get round the animals as well as the Halloween activities. There's parking on site and a café for a warm-up. And don't let a grey day put you off — a crisp, misty October morning is honestly perfect zoo-and-Halloween weather.
Check the 2026 dates and feeding times first.
Boo at the Zoo runs on set dates over a late-October weekend, and the pumpkin feeding times are scheduled. Confirm this year's dates, times and admission on the Belfast Zoo events page before you set off.
Good to know
Everything before you go
When
A weekend in late October, around Halloween. Confirm the exact 2026 dates on the Belfast Zoo events page.
Where
Belfast Zoo, Antrim Road, on the slopes of Cave Hill, north Belfast (BT36 7PN).
Cost
Included with normal zoo admission — adults around £14.50, children less, under-4s free. Check current rates and any online-booking discount before you go.
Best for
Younger families especially — it's cute-spooky rather than frightening. Fancy dress is encouraged for all ages.
Bring
A carved pumpkin from home for the animals, warm waterproof clothes and sturdy shoes or wellies — it's a hilly outdoor site.
Feeding times
The pumpkin trick-or-treat feeds happen at set times — check the schedule and plan around them.
Facilities
On-site parking, café and the full zoo. Paths are steep in places; check accessibility if needed.
Weather
Late October — expect cool, possibly wet weather. Layers and a flask make it cosy.
Questions
Boo at the Zoo, answered
When is Boo at the Zoo 2026?
It runs over a weekend in late October, around Halloween. Confirm the exact dates and feeding times on the Belfast Zoo events page — they're set each year.
What actually happens?
On top of a normal zoo day, there are pumpkin trick-or-treat feeding times (animals get carved pumpkins), spooky animal talks, creepy crafts and sensory play — and everyone's encouraged to come in fancy dress.
Can we bring a pumpkin?
Yes — that's part of the fun. Carve a pumpkin at home and bring it along for the animals to enjoy as an enrichment treat.
Is it scary?
No — it's cute-spooky, pitched at families with younger children. Think friendly costumes and pumpkins, not frights.
How much is it?
The Halloween activities are included with normal zoo admission (adults around £14.50, children less, under-4s free). There's no separate event ticket — check current rates on the site.
What should we wear?
Warm, waterproof layers and good shoes or wellies. Belfast Zoo climbs Cave Hill, so it's a hilly outdoor walk in late-October weather.
Getting there
Belfast Zoo is on the Antrim Road on the slopes of Cave Hill, about 15 minutes north of Belfast city centre (BT36 7PN). There's parking on site, and buses run along the Antrim Road. The zoo is built into the hillside, so expect some steep paths.
Belfast Zoo has kept its Halloween weekend as a firm family fixture, and what makes it more than just a themed day is the enrichment idea at its heart. Carved pumpkins aren't only decoration here — they're a treat and a puzzle for the animals, something new to smell, roll, smash and eat, and watching a meerkat mob pile into a jack-o'-lantern or an elephant delicately crush one underfoot is genuinely joyful. It turns a Halloween visit into a little lesson in how zoos keep their animals curious and busy.
Add in the fancy dress, the spooky talks and the crafts, and you've got one of the gentlest, most good-natured Halloween days out in the north — cute rather than scary, and perfect for little ones. Bring a pumpkin, wrap up warm, and go and watch the animals have their party.