The Palm Beach Zoo     hosts its 13th annual "Boo at the Zoo" event next month.
Visitors are encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat through the zoo. The event includes animal encounters, costume contests, wildlife shows, "scary" entertainment and a haunted house.
"Boo at the Zoo" opens on Oct. 25 at 9 a.m. and ends on Oct. 26 at 5 p.m.For little children, the zoo hosts "Baby Boo at the Zoo" on Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.The zoo is located in Dreher Park in West Palm Beach, just east of I-95 between Southern Boulevard and Forest Hill Boulevard. Admission is $12.95 for adults, $9.95 for seniors, $8.95 for children 3 to 12 and free for children under 3.For more information visit palmbeachzoo.org.

Cooking demo/crab cakes:   Macy's Men's & Home Store Aventura, 19535 Biscayne Blvd., will host a free cooking demonstration at 1 p.m. Saturday. Chef Andrew Cavalotto, The Diplomat Golf Resort & Spa Hallandale Beach, will prepare crab cakes with a baby frisee salad and Key lime mustard aioli dressing. Information: 305-682-3352.

Cooking classes/various: Lenore Nolan-Ryan Cooking School & Catering Co., 228 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, will host hands-on classes beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday's class features Luscious Wine, Luscious Food. Cabernet and port buttered beef tenderloin, pinot noir and cassis-poached salmon and red zin and merlot with roasted ginger lamb will be prepared (cost is $55 per person for this class).

Wednesday is Boys' Night Out: One Pot when braised brisket roast, Texas beef brisket chili and Autumn squash, and Asian-style baby back ribs will be prepared ($45 per person).

Oct. 23 will feature Florida Favorite Fish including yellowtail snapper baked in green husks with sweet corn and roasted jalapeno pesto, coconut poached grouper with mango salsa and rice pilaf and a mahi mahi baked in foil with sweet onion and mojo verde y rojo ($45 per person). Reservations: 954-491-2340.

Saddle up, horse lovers. Uncle Sam needs you.

The new South Florida Veterans Multi-Purpose Center in Davie is developing its new Equine Assisted Therapy Program, aimed at helping heal veterans recently returned from the Iraq War.


Center Executive Director Robert Bambury, a Vietnam veteran, said professional mental health workers, psychotherapists and occupational therapists already are volunteering for the program, which will assist vets dealing with post-traumatic stress disorders and service-connected physical disabilities. But now he needs some horse experts to lend a hand.

“They could be sidewalkers, or help people pack up the horses, or show veterans how to groom them,” said Bambury, who himself has been around horses all his life.

Here is more information on the center, which runs on corporate and private donations. Besides the equine program, it offers counseling for returning soldiers and their families, and weekend retreats.

Many studies have shown the therapeutic benefits of companion animals. While dogs tend to be the creatures usually involved in animal-assisted therapy, there are “therapy horses,” too. Great Strides, a program in Maryland, uses interaction with horses to reach adults and teens with behavior and emotional issues.

If you’re a horse lover that wants to work with South Florida’s veterans -- or if you are a veteran that is interested in equine therapy -- call Bambury’s center at 954-791-8603. The center is located at 4311 SW 63rd Ave., Davie.

Party at Coltoberfest

Who gives a crap about Okotoberfest when you can party at Coltoberfest 305?

A Miami artist will host an art show featuring painted Colt 45 bottles. While the event lacks a cover charge, a $5 donation is suggested to raise money for Sweat Records, which was vandalized in September. There will be complimentary malt liquor.

The showing starts at 9 p.m. Oct. 18 at Sweat Records, 5505 NE Second Ave. in Miami. For more info, call 305-758=5862 or visit sweatrecordsmiami.com