Carve out time for Cosley Zoo's Pumpkin Fest
Fall revelers intent on turning their home and hearth into an ode to autumn will find the perfect grounds for stalking the wild pumpkin this month at Wheaton's Cosley Zoo.
The zoo is celebrating Pumpkin Fest throughout October at 1356 N. Gary Ave.
“Our front lawn is full of pumpkins,” said Natasha Fischer, the zoo's education supervisor. “People can walk through and choose the one they like.”
A variety of sizes and shapes provides pumpkin hunters with a choice between big ones suitable for carving and decorating, priced at 45 cents a pound, and smaller ones destined to become pies, priced at $2.99 to $3.99 each.
Sourced from a farm in Huntley, these pumpkins are not exactly wild.
But zoo visitors will find plenty of wildlife at Cosley.
The zoo houses a combination of wildlife species native to Illinois, along with a selection of farm animals.
“We have animals that we have right here in our own backyard. Most are injured and cannot be released to the wild,” Fischer said.
Among the creatures making the zoo home are a coyote, two bobcats and several owls, hawks and deer. Farm animals on site include cows, pigs, sheep and horses.
Visitors are invited to take self-guided tours through the exhibits any time the zoo is open, Fischer said.
On Saturdays and Sundays in October, the zoo presents “discovery stations” at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. where visitors may encounter animal training sessions or have an opportunity to experience an up-close visit with animals.
Visitors also may feed the zoo ducks, kept in enclosures, from 10 to 10:30 a.m. and 3 to 3:30 p.m. daily. Zoo chickens may be fed at 11:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 2 p.m. Both waterfowl species receive a special grain-based diet that is available for purchase for $2 per serving.
Pumpkin Fest also caters to the interior decorators in the crowd, with a selection of ornamental gourds, apples, corn stalks and hay bales for sale.
“We have all sorts of fun, seasonal things,” Fischer said.
Children will find a pyramid made of straw bales perfect for climbing. Fischer said the park also will operate three children's carnival rides, including a kid-sized train, weather permitting. Rides are appropriate for children ages 2 and older, within maximum height restrictions. Each ride costs $3.
Fischer said the zoo, a Wheaton Park District facility focused on education and conservation, is a popular attraction, drawing about 94,000 visitors a year. Pumpkin Fest is a favorite event among zoo fans, she said.
“People really get into the fall weather,” she said.
Pumpkin Fest
Where: Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 31
Admission: $7 for adults; $6 for seniors 55 and older; free for children 17 and younger and for Wheaton Park District residents
Info: cosleyzoo.org