Have no fear, critter-loving kids won’t have to miss Helen Woodward Animal Center’s spookiest and most adorable event of the year. The Howl-O-Ween Harvest Family Festival kicks off Saturday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and runs every Saturday in October.
With top safety precautions in place, families can enjoy festive crafts, cute and “creepy” critter encounters, a mini-pumpkin patch, a spooky maze, and more.
The Howl-O-Ween Harvest Family Festival combines Halloween-themed crafts for kids, trick-or-treat stations, animal meet-and-greets, and a journey through The Perilous Path – a new spooktacular maze experience.
Guests are invited to dress in costume for this family-friendly event which is an opportunity to safely get into the fall spirit.
There will be hands-on animal encounters as well as a chance to meet with cuddly Humane Education Ambassadors like the miniature horses or goats, as well as learn and/or interact with snakes or lizards and millipedes or Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Hand sanitizer will be used between each animal encounter.
“This year has been spooky in so many other ways and that’s why we’re so excited to welcome families back to our popular Howl-O-Ween Harvest Family Festival and have some fun,” said Humane Education Manager Haylee Blake. “We’re looking forward to providing a safe place for kids to learn about our cute creatures but also our ‘creepy’ critters and why they’re an important part of our world as well.”
To ensure the safety of visitors and staff, groups are limited to six people and all members of the party should arrive together. Groups will be led by one crew member wearing PPE and will explore all the various activities at Howl-O-Ween Harvest during a-one-hour time slot. The price for groups is $48 and all funds go directly to support the orphan pets and programs at Helen Woodward Animal Center.
Registration is required and can be completed here. Festival dates are Saturdays, Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31 with time slots available between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
For more information on Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Howl-oween Harvest Family Festival, call 858-756-4117 x 318 or visit www.animalcenter.org.
Complete COVID-19 safety precautions and instructions include:
- Checking temperatures and giving a short health questionnaire at check-in. Please stay out of direct sunlight or warm environments to avoid incorrectly high-temperature readings.
- This year’s event will be more structured than in previous years. You must pre-register for a one-hour time slot, during which one of the staff members will lead you through the activities and animal encounters. Walk-up registrations are not permitted.
- Group sizes are limited to 6 people and groups must arrive together. You will remain at least 6 ft. apart from the other groups for the duration of your one-hour time slot.
- Masks are required and must be worn at all times. (This excludes children under the age of 2.)
- The event will take place completely outdoors.
- No activities will involve running or too much movement.
- Participants will be given hand sanitizer directly before and after each animal interaction.
- Staff will clean and disinfect all areas before and after the event.
- Please refrain from attending if you or anyone in your household has a fever or displays symptoms like coughing, sore throat, or headache.
**Protocols are subject to change. Reach out to us at education@animalcenter.org if you have any questions or concerns.
