OFFBEAT: Brookfield Zoo's annual Halloween costume contest yields clever creations

Not only was it great weather over weekend for Brookfield Zoo's annual Halloween costume parade and contest, but the creativity was top notch for 2011. Last weekend, I served as one of the judges both days and I'll be back this weekend too.

Brookfield Zoo calls this Boo! at the Zoo and it offers an array of "spook-tacular activities for the whole family."

Fisher-Price and Bright Start College Savings Program are among the corporate sponsors for this year's fun, which continues again this weekend with a 1 p.m. parade on both Saturday and Sunday with a costume showcase afterward on the East Mall at 1:30 p.m.

Everyone receives a prize for participating and there are also first- and second-place "big prize" winners in four categories: scariest, best animal theme, most original and best group theme.

Admission to Brookfield Zoo is $13.50 for adults and $9.50 for children ages 3-11 and seniors 65 and older. Parking is $9. For further information about Boo! at the Zoo activities, visit CZS.org/Events or (708) 688-8000.

As for the most popular costumes, there were 154 contestants Saturday and 205 Sunday and I only saw two tributes to this year's popular "Angry Birds" game, which has become a standard of cell phones.

What I saw the most of during the weekend was zombies, fairytale characters, vampires, pumpkins, Disney princesses and characters from "Toy Story" and monkeys, peacocks, butterflies, jellyfish, pigs and flamingos ruled the animal kingdom of favorites.

Among Saturday's winners were Valparaiso contestants Ryan Pseja, 6, who was "the Headless Horseman" and Hayden Pseja, 5, who was "a Swamp Monster."

Here are the winning photos from Saturday and Sunday's competitions.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or (219) 852-4327.