Fall is in the air and it's almost time to celebrate with your little monster at Knoxville's largest Halloween event! BOO! at the Zoo presented by U.S. Cellular kicks off 11 nights of safe and not-too-scary Halloween fun beginning Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 13, 14 and 15 and continuing Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 20-23 and 27-30, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. each evening. BOO! at the Zoo, a Halloween tradition for 25 years, is a family event featuring devilishly good music and games at the Monster Mash tent in The Clayton Family Kids Cove, your favorite costumed characters throughout the zoo, and the only "haunted" carousel in East Tennessee, the Scary-Go-Round. (How can you tell it's haunted? It goes backwards, of course.)

It wouldn't be Halloween without the trick-or-treating! One of the highlights of BOO! at the Zoo is the BOO! Trail, where little trick-or-treaters can fill their bag with goodies as they make their way through the zoo. And you never know who you'll encounter at BOO! at the Zoo; each night will feature a variety of entertainment, from belly dancers and jugglers to out-of-this-world STAR WARS characters. For updated information about each evening's activities, visit the zoo's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/knoxvillezoo.

Boo! at the Zoo tickets are $6 per person. Children under two are admitted free. Parking is $5. Tickets are available at in advance by phone at 865.637.5331, online at www.knoxville-zoo.org, or at the zoo's ticket office during regular zoo hours. Knoxville Zoo members receive a $1 discount on admission and free parking. Special thanks to event sponsors U.S. Cellular®, All Occasions Party Rentals, AT&T Real Yellow Pages, Krispy Kreme, Kroger, ORNL Federal Credit Union, Subway, Supercuts, Target and TVA Employees Credit Union. Thanks also to media sponsors WBIR Channel 10, B-97.5 FM, Knoxville News Sentinel and Lamar Outdoor.

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest year-round attraction. Located off exit 392 from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and weekends from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Beginning October 10, the zoo will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Next-day admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxville-zoo.org