MEDIA RELEASE

On Saturday, October 31, 2009, the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens in Hilo Hawaii will celebrate Halloween with a ZOOBOO!

The ZOOBOO! takes place from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. and will feature a trick-or-treat scavenger hunt, pumpkin bowling, kid- friendly Halloween stories, ”spooktacular” face painting, a costume parade and contest, a “ghoulish” grinds food booth and other frightfully fun crafts and games!

Be sure to sign up to win a free helicopter tour for two from Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. Don’t forget to stop by the petting zoo that runs from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Stick around until 3:30 p.m. for Tiger Feeding and visit with Hilo’s very own, Namaste, the white Bengal Tiger.

Prizes in the costume contest will be awarded to the funniest, most colorful, most adorable, “greenest” (using recycled materials) and most zoo-related costume in the following age groups: ages 0-5 and ages 6-12. The costume contest will begin at 11 a.m. in the grassed area above the main pavilion.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Terry Moniz at (808) 959-7224 or email him at tmoniz@co.hawaii.hi.us.

The Panaewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens would like to thank its ZOOBOO! supporters: Big Island Candies, Big Island Toyota, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, KTA Super Stores, Miranda’s Country Store, CVS/Longs, Safeway, Bill and Shari Hartman, Boy Scouts of America PUKAHI district, Friends of Big Island Drug Court, Parks & Recreation Hilo Recreation Division and the many Volunteer Members of Friends of the Zoo.