The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) invites families to celebrate Halloween with a full day of educational activities and wildlife encounters on Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 10 AM to 5 PM plus an evening event, Hoots & Howls from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
Visitors are encouraged to wear costumes as they explore the amazing adaptations of resident raptors, participate in a Tree Trunk or Treat Scavenger Hunt, vote for their favorite carved pumpkin, and meet reptile ambassadors. The day features programming designed for all ages, with special Peeps & Squeaks activities tailored for families with young children. The full day event is included with General Admission.
Daytime Event Schedule:
10:30AM – 10:50 AM: Natural Wonders – Join us for Halloween fun at VINS with a puppet show for families with young children.
11:00AM – 11:30AM: Predators of the Sky – Watch our ambassador raptors fly through the air, and learn about their amazing adaptations!
11:00AM – 1:00PM: Tree Trunk or Treat Scavenger Hunt – Trick or treat, in the trees! Visit different stations along the Canopy Walk to play games, do puzzles, and learn about the different habitat zones around VINS.
11:30AM – 3:00PM: Fall Crafts & Games – Explore the colors of fall with crafts inspired by nature. Or run and play through a spider maze and launch pumpkins from a catapult!
1:00PM – 1:30PM: Awesome Autumn – Jackson Gillman’s heartwarming show celebrates the beauties of the season with songs and stories. Apples, pumpkins, harvest, a nip in the air, flaming maples, leaf piles, migrating geese, oh my!
2:00PM – 2:20PM: Songbird Aviary Tour – Join a staff member to learn more about the songbirds that call VINS home in our walk-through exhibit showcasing some native songbirds.
2:30PM – 2:50PM: Raptor Feeding Time – Watch our resident raptors get their dinner and ask a VINS staff member all about them and their wild counterparts.
3:00PM – 3:30PM: Predators of the Sky – Watch our ambassador raptors fly through the air, and learn about their amazing adaptations!
Evening Event: Hoots & Howls
Beginning at 5:30PM, VINS welcomes visitors back for Hoots & Howls, an annual Halloween storytelling experience. A special ticketed event, this is a guided evening tour of the VINS Nature Center with stops for storytellers, skits and puppet shows along the way. It all ends with some special Halloween treats for the whole family!
The Halloween celebration at VINS offers an educational and entertaining way for families to experience wildlife while enjoying seasonal festivities. For more information about admission prices and to purchase tickets for Hoots & Howls, visit vinsweb.org.