The NEW Zoo & Adventure Park invites you to “carve out” some fun this fall at our annual Public Pumpkin Carving Event, presented by Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream and Piggly Wiggly Howard/Suamico. Join us on Wednesday, October 9th, between 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Pines Shelter, off the north end of the NEW Zoo’s main parking lot. Bring your own pumpkins and pumpkin-carving tools and get ready to show us your creative carving skills to help us decorate the Zoo! This event is FREE to attend. If you are unable to bring your own pumpkins, you are still welcome to participate and carve, thanks to a selection of pumpkins generously provided by Piggly Wiggly Howard/Suamico. Please bring your own carving supplies.

Be sure to work up an appetite while you carve, because Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream will provide FREE PIZZA and the zoo will provide drinks to everyone who participates! Happy Joe’s mascot, “Happy the Dog,” will also stop by that night to meet guests. This is a great opportunity for families, along with larger groups such as scout troops, clubs, churches, school service groups, and more. Everyone is welcome!

“Our Public Pumpkin Carving event is so much fun to attend,” says Angela Kawski, NEW Zoo Volunteer Coordinator. “Families, students, groups, and individuals can all come to enjoy this fall tradition – we love seeing both the familiar and new faces every year. Not only do you get to enjoy free pizza from Happy Joe’s, but you can have all the fun of carving pumpkins without having to clean up the mess! We take care of all that here, thanks to the help of some of the zoo’s dedicated volunteers.”

All pumpkins carved during the event remain at the Zoo, to be used to decorate for North Shore Bank Zoo Boo 2024, held on October 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 25th, and 26th. Zoo supporters are also welcome to donate and drop-off carved pumpkins ANYTIME during regular business hours, Sundays through Thursdays in October, starting on October 13th.  The NEW Zoo & Adventure Park is continually in need of “fresh” pumpkins throughout the month of October.

Pre-registration through our online RSVP system is strongly encouraged for the event. After registering, guests can arrive anytime between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Special thanks to our sponsors!