Costumed people walk through Lincoln Park Zoo’s archway on a fall day.

Every Year in Chicagoland

Spooky Zoo on October 17: Free Gates, Free Candy, and What You'll Still Pay For

Spooky Zoo is free on October 17 at Lincoln Park Zoo—no admission, free candy, free carousel rides. Here's what still costs money that day.

By HellginOctober 8, 20269 min read

Every October you hit the same question: there's a costume to use, a free Saturday, and kids who want candy before Halloween. If Lincoln Park Zoo's Spooky Zoo is on your list for Saturday, October 17, 2026, the answer is yes, it's free. The event costs nothing, zoo admission costs nothing, and you don't need a reservation. What you'll still pay for, mostly rides, food and parking, is below, along with how to get there that morning.

Spooky Zoo is free on October 17

The zoo's event page lists Spooky Zoo for Saturday, October 17, 2026, and labels it Free and All Ages. The zoo's September 24 press release describes the day as a free Halloween event hosted by the Auxiliary Board of Lincoln Park Zoo and presented by Peoples Gas. Chicago Parent's Fall Fest guide also lists it as a free event hosted by the Auxiliary Board.

Getting in is free too. Lincoln Park Zoo doesn't charge admission on any day, doesn't require reservations, and is open 365 days a year. The Spooky Zoo page has no ticket or registration link, and the press release says Fall Fest, which is running on the grounds that same day, needs no registration either.

Costumes are "welcome and encouraged," according to the zoo, so bring the dinosaur suit.

A little background: the zoo was founded in 1868. It's privately managed and supported by members. The City of Chicago doesn't own or run it, even though it sits in a city park. That's why groups like the Auxiliary Board raise money to keep the gates free.

What's included at no charge

The zoo's event page lists these as part of Spooky Zoo:

Free trick-or-treating with sustainably sourced candy. The Auxiliary Board says the candy is made with sustainable palm oil, and there are health-conscious options too.
Spooky chats and learning activities about the animals.
A scavenger hunt around the grounds.
Kid-friendly entertainment.
Free carousel rides.

The carousel is the best deal on the list. On a normal visit, the Endangered Species Carousel, with its 48 hand-carved animals, is a paid ride that starts at $4.50. The event page and the press release both say carousel rides are free at Spooky Zoo. The 2026 pages don't say whether that lasts all day or only during the event, so if your kids want several rides, go early.

Because October 17 is a Fall Fest Saturday, the festival is running too. Fall Fest goes Friday through Sunday from September 25 through November 1, plus Monday, October 12, with festival hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some of it is free to walk around and enjoy. The Fall Fest page lists the pumpkin patch and photo spots as open daily, and live pumpkin carving on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

If you stay into the afternoon, the Fall Fest schedule lists animal enrichment at 3 p.m. that Saturday for the De Brazza's monkeys and the Aruba Island rattlesnakes.

What still costs money that Saturday

Not everything on the grounds is free, and Fall Fest is where the costs start.

Ride tickets. Fall Fest attraction tickets are $4.50 each, $36 for 10, or $170 for 50. You can buy them on the grounds or online. The press release lists the ticketed rides as the Fun Slide, the Ferris wheel, the inflatables, the Lionel Train Adventure, the Endangered Species Carousel and Gorilla Trek. The carousel is free during Spooky Zoo. The others are paid.

Fall food. The Fall Fest page lists apple cider donuts and waffle sticks at Eadie Levy's Landmark Café, make-your-own caramel apples at Park Place Café, Mexican street corn, and s'mores at Bird's Eye Bar and Grill. There are also 21+ drinks like a Pumpkin Spice Matcha Latte and a Maple Butter Espresso Martini. Prices aren't posted. Members save 10 percent on dining and shopping.

Bringing your own. You can bring your own food and nonalcoholic drinks, so a packed lunch and a thermos of cider are fine. Outside alcohol isn't allowed. Outside food isn't allowed at ticketed zoo events. Pets aren't allowed, though working service animals are. The grounds are smoke-free, and that includes vaping.

Parking. The zoo lot at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive is free for the first half hour, then $35 to $45 per day with taxes. It doesn't take cash, and there's no attendant at the exit. It's open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Members at the Safari level and above park free. Basic and Basic Plus members pay a flat $15, limited to one car per membership and six hours, while spaces last.

A separate paid event that same morning. Sound Meditation with Jay Taylor runs from 9 to 10 a.m. on October 17 at the Peoples Gas Education Pavilion. It costs $24 for members and $30 for nonmembers and is for ages 16 and up. It isn't part of Spooky Zoo, so you don't need a ticket for trick-or-treating.

Hours, gates, and getting there

This season's posted hours: the gates and Farm-in-the-Zoo open at 8 a.m., the buildings open at 10 a.m., the buildings and Farm close at 4:30 p.m., and the gates close at 5 p.m. The zoo notes that special events can mean early closures.

About the start time: the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce lists Spooky Zoo on October 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Do312 shows a 10 a.m. start. The zoo's own 2026 event page doesn't list a start or end time. The zoo used a 10-to-1 window in past years, so a morning arrival is your safest bet. For the day's schedule, check the zoo's web app at go.lpzoo.org, which has the map and schedule and doesn't need a download.

Gates. The visitor address is 2400 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago 60614. That's the East Gate and the parking entrance. Don't send your GPS to 2001 N. Clark Street, which is the administrative office, not a visitor gate. Other public entrances are the West Gate, Café Brauer Gate, Bus Gate and Farm-in-the-Zoo Gate.

CTA. Buses 22, 36, 151 and 156 stop along the zoo's west edge. On the 'L', take the Brown or Purple Line to Armitage or the Red Line to Fullerton. Both stations are accessible and about a mile west of the zoo, a nice fall walk if the weather cooperates. For CTA information, call 312-836-7000.

Rideshare. Pickups and drop-offs use the West Gate, near Stockton Drive and Webster Avenue.

Accessibility. Paratransit and accessible rideshare drop-offs use the East Gate at 2150 N. Cannon Drive, next to the Searle Visitor Center. Vehicles can stay up to 30 minutes for free. The paid lot has 28 accessible spaces, and the zoo warns that they often fill on busy event days. Searle Visitor Center has guest information, first aid, lockers, lost and found, stroller and wheelchair loans, and a quiet room. Wheelchairs are free with a photo ID or a refundable $20 deposit. Electric scooters (ECVs) rent for $30 plus an ID or a refundable $20 deposit. Sensory bags are free with an ID left as a deposit. Everything is first come, first served. The zoo describes its paths as stroller-friendly. For help on site, call 312-742-2000.

Don't mix this Saturday up with the rest of October

Three Halloween events at the zoo are easy to confuse:

Spooky Zoo is Saturday, October 17. It's free, it's for all ages, and it's in the daytime.
Halloween is Saturday, October 31, two weeks later. Fall Fest is still running that day, with 3 p.m. enrichment for the polar bears and a spectacled caiman, but it isn't Spooky Zoo.
Zoo Brews: Howls and Growls is Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. It's 21 and older and costs money: $65 for nonmembers from October 1 to 22, and $70 on October 23 if day-of tickets remain. A ticket gets you a souvenir sampling cup, cider and beer samples, and unlimited rides on the carousel, Ferris wheel and giant slide.

For older thrill-seekers, Haunted History Tours with Adam Selzer run Tuesdays and Wednesdays in October. They last about 75 minutes, are for ages 16 and up, and Choose Chicago lists them at $35.

Expect crowds on the 17th. The event page says Spooky Zoo serves more than 15,000 Chicago families and children. The zoo gets nearly 4 million visitors a year and lists weekends among its busiest days.

The Auxiliary Board, the group behind the day, was founded in 1984. It has more than 120 members, accepts members 25 and older, and raises money to keep the zoo free. Money raised at Spooky Zoo goes to animal care and welfare, conservation science and public learning. You'll be offered a chance to donate, but it isn't required. Businesses that want to sponsor the event or donate candy can contact auxiliaryboard@lpzoo.org.

Sources (16)