Colchester Zoo has confirmed its annual Shriek Week will run from 24 October to 1 November, lining up with the October half term break. The nine-day programme of daytime Halloween activities is included in standard admission, according to the Colchester Zoological Society.
Visitors can drop into the Discovery Den inside Elephant Kingdom from 10:30am on weekends and school holidays, where children build animal habitats at an interactive sand table, watch their drawings come to life on the Draw Alive wall, and handle creepy crawlies. The Dinosaur Realm adds animatronic dinosaurs – including a Brachiosaurus just under five metres tall – plus smoke and sound effects and a Palaeontology Hub with hands-on zones. A ride on the Lost Madagascar Express road train takes families across the zoo before stopping at the Lemur Walkthrough.
Entry is free for Zoo Members who show a valid membership card on the day. Other visitors are urged to book online ahead of time to secure the lowest ticket price. This year’s Shriek Week builds on previous editions that featured craft sessions at the Witches’ Coven and monster scaring practice at St Anway’s Scare School.
The zoo operates as a conservation charity, and every visit helps fund its work including support for the UmPhafa Nature Reserve in South Africa. The Maldon Road site in Stanway closes some areas, such as Dinosaur Realm and the road train, an hour before the official closing time.
Term-time hours for the Discovery Den run from noon until 3pm, and the Lost Madagascar Express does not serve the Lemur Walkthrough during winter months. Further details of the Shriek Week activity programme will be posted on the zoo’s website for families planning their autumn break.
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