ArBOOretum, Halloween fun for the whole family! October 24, 2009

Sponsored by: Waste Management, GDF Suez, RM Crowe, HGOco - Houston Grand Opera,and 88.7 KUHF-FM, Houston Public Radio

The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center presents ArBOOretum, a great way for the whole family to enjoy Halloween festivities in a natural environment, to the general public on Saturday, Oct. 24 from noon to 4 p.m. A private preview for Arboretum members will take place from 11 a.m. to noon. The Arboretum is located at 4501 Woodway Drive in Memorial Park. Children and grown-ups alike are encouraged to wear costumes and participate in the Costume Parade at 1 and 3 p.m. Wear comfortable walking shoes to enjoy a forest trail with scattered trick-or-treat locations. Check out the video of last year’s ArBOOretum on YouTube here:

Stops along the trail will include activities for kids to learn about animals that migrate such as hummingbirds and monarch butterflies. Children can “fly” like a bat on a zip line and try to dodge danger in a Migration Obstacle Course. At the end of the trail, enter into the Nature Center where more family fun awaits in the Discovery Room with aquariums, touch boxes, microscopes and a 15-foot Learning Tree. See live owls and try your luck at the cake walk and children’s games. Then, stroll back outside to enjoy more Halloween carnival festivities at the pumpkin decorating, petting zoo, pony rides, and face painting stations. Take a leisurely hayride through the forest.

Admission, food and refreshments are FREE to members. General public admission, which includes all activities, is $15 for ages 3 and up. Refreshments will be sold separately. Admission and refreshments are free to Arboretum members. All proceeds from ticket sales support the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center’s education and conservation programs. Event parking will be in a satellite lot. Check web site for map and details. Free shuttle service is available from the satellite parking lot to the Arboretum entrance. No pets are allowed at this event.

For directions and more information on ArBOOretum and the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, call 713-681-8433 or visit www.houstonarboretum.org.

Official Website: http://houstonarboretum.org/arbooretum.asp