Celebrate Pumpkin Fest at Cosley Zoo

It's a toss-up between what represents fall better - golden leaves on the ground, rows of pumpkins as far as you can see, tangy apple cider, the crunch of straw beneath your feet - but all these signs of autumn and more will be at Cosley Zoo this October.

Visitors can experience the sensory delights of autumn at Cosley Zoo's Pumpkin Fest, offered daily in October at 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton.

Discover the bounty of the harvest - pumpkins, gourds, bales of straw, apples and other seasonal produce - in the Pumpkin Patch on the front lawn. Watch the kids conquer the straw pyramid and hear them forge their way through the cornstalk tunnel.

Tami Romejko, Cosley Zoo's education and guest experiences supervisor, said the decision to make a tunnel, rather than a maze, is "more friendly for kids ages 6 and under because they won't get lost or scared."

The animals - the bobcats, rabbits, donkeys, ducks and more - will be enjoying a few fall frolics outside for visitors to see.

Rides for kids will be available seven days a week for an additional fee. Various nature discovery stations will be accessible at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

When it's time to head home, families can take a souvenir with them. Apples, gourds, pumpkins, cider, cornstalks, straw bales of various sizes and other fall merchandise, including pumpkin-carving supplies, will be available for purchase in the Wild Side Gift Shop. Proceeds help fund the ongoing development of Cosley Zoo.

Cosley Zoo is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through October. Pumpkin Fest is included with regular admission of $5 for nonresident adults; $4 for nonresident seniors 55 and older; free for zoo members, children 17 and younger, and Wheaton Park District Universal Resident ID holders.

For information, visit cosleyzoo.org or call (630) 665-5534.