Zoo Lights

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courtesy Henry Vilas Zoo.

A bear statute in front of a colorful light display.

A Zoo Lights display.

The tradition of lights in the deep midwinter, when we in the northern climate suffer from lack of daylight, makes sense. For the annual Zoo Lights event, the pleasant confines of the Henry Vilas Zoo are lit up with holiday- and animal-themed displays. Special activities included in the cost of the ticket (it’s a benefit for the normally free zoo) are unlimited carousel rides and pictures with Santa. (There’s also a special event with Henry the Lion on Dec. 7 and a sensory friendly night Dec. 10.) Snacks and drinks — even adult beverages — are available for purchase. Zoo Lights features timed entry starting at 5:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 22-Dec. 14, as well as Wednesday, Dec. 10, Thursday, Dec. 11, and nightly Dec. 16-23. Advance tickets only, available online here.

media release: Experience the Zoo after hours under the glow of over one million lights! All tickets include unlimited carousel rides and pictures with Santa. Food and beverages are available for purchase. Adult beverages are available with proof of ID.

2025 Zoo Lights Dates: November 22 – December 23 Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and select week nights. 

General Admission Tickets $12; Children 3 and under FREE. Buy a 4-Pack of General Admission Tickets for $40!

Santa: Santa is available for photos every night leading up to Christmas. You will need to bring your own camera or cell phone for photos.

Adult Beverages: Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase at various bar huts throughout the Zoo. All guests will have to show valid ID to purchase alcohol.

Carousel: Your Zoo Lights ticket includes UNLIMITED carousel rides! (Don’t worry, we added a bar hut right next to the carousel this year!)

Specialty Nights:

Friday, November 14 – Brew Lights (Tickets priced from $25 – $100)

Join us for a special 21+ night of sampling the best beer, cider, wine, hard seltzer, and more from some of your favorite local and regional vendors! Tickets include unlimited beverage samples, a commemorative tasting glass, LED games like Connect-4 and Shuffleboard, and a photo booth in the Herpetarium.

Sunday, December 7 – Henry’s Holiday Pajama Party!

 Join our mascot, Henry the Lion, for his first Holiday PJ Party! Enjoy an earlier look at the lights of Zoo Lights, unlimited carousel rides, and meet and greets with Santa like a usual. On top of the normal Zoo Lights fun, guests are encouraged to try our specialty menu at the Glacier Grille featuring toddler-friendly treats and smaller portions of some of our favorite Zoo Lights foods (Full Menu to Come). Additionally, guests can enjoy one of Henry the Lion’s favorite activities at Henry’s Sleepy Storytime Station! Henry and his pals will alternate between reading animal themed stories at special times and doing meet and greets with his friends before tucking himself into bed! Guests can participate in storytime at 5:45 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Wednesday, December 10 – Sensory Friendly Night

Join us for a special, Sensory Friendly night of Zoo Lights! Our staff have revamped this night of Zoo Lights to create a lower sensory experience for all guests! Enjoy a quiet night of lights with no additional music in the park or in the carousel, deliberately smaller crowds, specially trained staff and volunteers who are excited to spend time with you and your family, access to our free KultureCity sensory bag rentals, and our digital social story linked here.

4-Pack Discount automatically applied at checkout. To purchase tickets, choose the night you would like to visit and click on the “register” button.