A Beary Scary Halloween

Celebrate Halloween with the creatures of the Grandfather Mountain Animal Habitats Saturday, Oct. 29.

Join in the first “Beary Scary Halloween” festivities and help the mountain raise funds for renovations on Grandfather’s eagle habitat.

“We wanted to create a fun event that would give kids a chance to be more involved in the animals’ day and provide us with the opportunity to raise awareness about the improvements that we hope to make to our eagle habitat,” said Christie Tipton, habitat manager.

Halloween activities take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are included with regular admission. Kids in costume will get in at half price.

The day begins at 10 a.m. with Halloween-themed crafts in the Nature Museum. At 10:30 a.m., kids can go trick-or-treating in the animal habitats, which will be decorated in mummy, werewolf, ghost and graveyard themes.

At 11 a.m., naturalists will meet by the Mildred the Bear statue in the Nature Museum to lead an interactive program titled “Going Batty for Bats.” Participants will learn about bats and their importance to the environment.

Prepare to be captivated by ghost stories at 11:30 a.m. in the Nature Museum Auditorium. Local storytellers Maggie Christenbury and Owen Gray will lead scary tales to thrill the whole family.

At 12:30 p.m., kids get a chance to compete in a costume contest and vote on their favorite costume worn by the animal habitat staff. Voting takes place in the Nature Museum lobby.

Immediately following the costume contest, guests have an opportunity to participate in the animal enrichments by decorating pumpkins and other treats that will later be given to the animals. An enrichment is anything different that can help to break up the animals’ day, such as a scent, a new toy or a treat.

Join the mountain’s naturalists in the Nature Museum at 1 p.m. for the “Creepy, Crawly Critters” program. Participants will learn about creatures of the night, creatures that bite and other spooky animals.

At 2 p.m., the habitat staff will begin the animal enrichments. Meet at the deer overlook to watch the animals enjoy their decorated treats.

The last of the day’s programming will take place in front of the fudge shop at 2:45 p.m. An “Owl Encounter” allows guests to meet and learn about the spooky night prowlers that can be found in the High Country.

Throughout the day, guests can learn more about the eagle habitat, special programs offered by habitat staff and additional opportunities to get involved on the Mountain.

For more information, contact the habitat staff at (828) 733-8715.

Grandfather Mountain is a globally recognized nature preserve famous for its 360-degree vistas, native wildlife habitats and Mile High Swinging Bridge. The attraction is located on U.S. 221, two miles north of Linville and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305.

The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park in the public interest and participate in educational research activities.

For more information, call (800) 468-7325 or visit http://www.grandfather.com.