Photo by Eric Ayres Dr. Joe Greathouse, director of Oglebay’s Good Zoo, left, poses with Boo at the Zoo sponsors Conner Boyd of the Wheeling area Dairy Queen locations and Dean Hartley of The Hartley Law Group, along with Oglebay Foundation President and CEO Eriks Janelsins, at right. Boo at the Zoo returns every weekend in October.

WHEELING — Spooky decorations are already being put in place, and Oglebay’s Good Zoo is getting ready for its wildly popular annual Boo at the Zoo.

The Halloween season is a special time of the year at The Good Zoo, where autumn roars to life in haunting fashion with a month-long holiday celebration. This year’s event will take place every weekend through the month of October.

“This is, I think, our 38th year,” Good Zoo Director Dr. Joe Greathouse said of Boo at the Zoo. “We’re open 365 days a year. Really Boo at the Zoo and the Festival of Lights are those special events that get us through those slow months — January, February and March — to where we can be open for our members that are going to be here during those slow months and spending time inside of the buildings. It enables us to do annual memberships, and families can come anytime they want. We do animal encounters all year-round.”

Boo at the Zoo will feature treat stations situated along the outdoor walking pathways at the Good Zoo. Children are encouraged to dress up in costume to join in the festivities.

Treat bags will be distributed and are free for all guests ages 3-12. Adults, children ages 13 and above, and children ages 2 and under may purchase a treat bag for $5.

This popular annual Halloween season event at the zoo is made possible by contributions from this year’s sponsors — The Hartley Law Group and the Wheeling area Dairy Queen locations.

“To be honest with you — I do love Halloween. It’s one of those holidays I really enjoy — It’s just a fun time,” said Dean Hartley of The Hartley Law Group, first-time sponsor for the event who got an opportunity to visit with some of the zoo’s featured wildlife residents on Monday. “These animals are really neat. What they’re doing here at the park is really impressive.”

Connor Boyd, owner of Wheeling area Dairy Queens, made fast friends with the wallabies during the visit by the event sponsors on Monday.

“We like to sponsor things that involve kids — that’s always a good fit for us,” Boyd said, noting that the DQ has sponsored Boo at the Zoo in the past.

As a special treat, one child will be selected as the winner of a Year for Zoo and DQ contest each weekend. Winners will receive a DQ Mini Blizzard every month for 12 months from the participating Dairy Queen locations as well as a one-year Good Zoo membership. To participate, contestants must visit Boo at the Zoo on a weekend in October and take a photo of your favorite moments exploring the eerie habitats. Post the photo one Facebook with the hashtag #YearForZooAndDQ and tag @OglebayGoodZoo. Posts must be made public so entries can be seen.

During Boo at the Zoo, each of the zoo’s pathways feature a unique Halloween theme, with decorations provided by contributions from several community partners, including Fort Henry Capital, Huntington Bank, Mull State Farm Insurance, Our Lady of Peace, Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration, WesBanco, Wheeling Country Day School and Wheeling Hospital Auxiliary. There will be a family friendly Spooky Train Ride, and of course, all of the zoo’s attractions will be open for visitors to enjoy.

The Good Zoo at Oglebay is home to 68 species of animals, 20 of which are rare or endangered. The Good Zoo is the only institution in the state of West Virginia accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and it has maintained its AZA accredited status for 38 years. There are 252 AZA accredited facilities world-wide. Each AZA member must uphold rigorous and evolving standards every five years to maintain accreditation, and The Good Zoo recently received its latest accreditation last week during the AZA annual conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

“I think for Oglebay, it really is a point of pride,” Eriks Janelsins, president and CEO of the Oglebay Foundation. “What I love hearing is from our community — people stop me on the street all the time now and just say, ‘wow, we’re just so proud to live in Wheeling with a zoo like the Oglebay Good Zoo.'”

Janelsins noted that the zoo changes and evolves with new exhibits, attractions and programming on a regular basis. The zoo focuses on conservation work and wildlife science, and what its exhibits and programs engage 100,000-plus visitors every year.

“It’s something we should all look at with pride as what we can do in our community when we all work together — our corporate sponsors, our hardworking staff, the volunteer groups all work together to create this really incredible asset for our community,” Janelsis said of the zoo.

Boo at the Zoo will be open from 5-8 p.m. on Fridays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays every weekend in October. Proceeds from Boo at the Zoo support the care and conservation of Good Zoo animals.

Tickets to Boo at the Zoo are on sale now and can be purchased in advance online at oglebay.com/boo.