The Joburg Zoo will be a very different place on Friday night - it's Howlerween

RELATED LINKS: Johannesburg Zoo THE zoo is one of the treasures of Johannesburg, a source of enjoyment and relaxation for locals and foreign visitors alike. It occupies sprawling grounds in central Parktown, with numerous trees, water features and beautiful walks around the various enclosures. Read more Visit the night skies at the planetarium THE Johannesburg Planetarium is a popular school outing, drawing thousands of visitors a year. Read more This in Joburg NEWTOWN goes Hindu this week with the Diwali Festival, but catch some of the other great action: a future forum, a hip-hop festival, theatre, a Sandton bus tour, an archaeological day, classics with the JPO, a snake talk or hiking in the Magaliesberg. Follow Lucille Davie's weekly selection of the most interesting city activities. Read more

Two of the zoo's occupants will be there to keep a watchful eye on events

Be afraid: it is Howlerween at the zoo THE spooky folk at the zoo have something scary planned: an evening of trick or treating to celebrate Howlerween. October 25, 2005 By Tshepiso Seopa GO TRICK or treating at the zoo this scary Howlerween, on Friday, 28 October. With more than 2 000 wild and dangerous animals making their home at Joburg Zoo, it's sure to be a spooky experience. Everyone is invited to dress up in creepy, scary Halloween costumes and join in the celebrations. Sophia Mtsali, the zoo events officer, says, "People will be welcomed to the zoo by characters dressed in spooky outfits and masks, who will hand out sweets and goodies. There will be routes marked with bamboo candles that will lead to the nocturnal animals' enclosures. "Music fitting to the day and the theme - be afraid, be very afraid - will be played and people dressed up in costume will read Halloween stories to the children," Mtsali says. She urges visitors to get into the spirit of Halloween and dress in their favourite spooky costumes. Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celts, who lived in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. They believed that the Lord of Death released souls back to earth on 31 October. The living wore scary costumes on this night because they thought any evil spirits would not recognise them to be human, and not mess with them. Witches and witchcraft are the dominant themes of the night. The zoo has 2 000 animals representing 380 species, living on its 54 hectares in Forest Town, northern Johannesburg. During the day entrance is the normal R19 for pensioners and children between three and 12 years old, R32 for adults and R13 each for groups, but from 6pm on Howlerween, entrance is R13 for adults and children. The festivities start at 6pm and run until 8pm. For more information contact Sophia Mtsali on 011 646 2000 ext 221 or email Sophia@jhbzoo.co.za Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za