A ‘Beary Scary’ Halloween

Celebrate Halloween with the creatures of the Grandfather Mountain animal habitats Saturday, Oct. 27.

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

“We are very excited to have ‘Beary Scary’ at Grandfather Mountain again this year,” said Bonnie Clark, assistant manager of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation Animal Habitats. “It’s a fun and educational day filled with unique Halloween activities.”

Halloween activities take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are included with regular admission. Children (ages 4-12) in costume will get in at half price. Children younger than 4 always receive free admission to Grandfather.

A portion of the day’s profits will benefit the eagle habitat fund.

The day begins at 10 a.m. when guests can create their own treats. After meeting at the Fudge Shop, visitors can decorate their own special Halloween cookie. There will also be a crafts table in the museum where visitors can make their own spider house or tissue paper bat.

At 10:30 a.m., children can go trick-or-treating with the animals and their keepers in the animal habitats.

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 all 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 storyteller Maggie Christenbury will lead scary tales to thrill the whole family. At 12:30 p.m., youngsters get a chance to compete in a costume contest.

Immediately following the 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 “Animal 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.

The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park sustainably in the public interest, provide an exceptional experience for guests, and inspire them to be good stewards of the Earth’s resources.
For more information, visit http://www.grandfather.com or call (800) 468-7325.