This weekend, bundle up and head to the Denver Zoo, where you can spend time with some furry (and winged, and slithery) friends at the 28th annual Boo at the Zoo event.

The adventures commence Friday night, when the animal habitats will stay open after hours. Evening events include bug-themed bingo, elephant education stations (in honor of the new Toyota Elephant Passage), a Michael Jackson-style Thriller dance featuring a squad of decked out zombies, and complimentary carousel rides. Also planned: creepy-crawly demonstrations and performances, 25 trick-or-treat stations, and magic shows scheduled throughout the weekend.

The event is also a learning opportunity. Along with the All Hallow’s Eve festivities, check out Yesterday’s Zoo, an interactive event where kids will receive conservation tips from Emmy award-winning writer, producer, and local children’s book author Shane DeRolf. Families can see life-size images and characters from DeRolf’s book, including THING, a fictional animal who represents all extinct creatures. DeRolf hopes that by spending some quality time with the animals, kids will want to learn more about wildlife conservation and how they can help prevent more creatures from becoming extinct in the future.

Yesterday’s Zoo will coincide with the weekend’s events beginning Friday evening for Boo At the Zoo After Dark. Children’s admission: $10, Adults: $15.

Image courtesy of the Denver Zoo.