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Last Chance to See Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Cincinnati Zoo’s PNC Festival of Lights
See Santa this week before he leaves for the North Pole
CINCINNATI, OH (December 22, 2025) – Last chance to see Santa and Mrs. Claus at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s PNC Festival of Lights! These jolly characters will make their final Zoo appearance on December 23 before they head back to the North Pole to prepare for Santa’s big night. The PNC Festival of Lights—recently voted the top holiday zoo lights display in the country—continues to shine bright through January 4, 2026.
“Before leaving Cincinnati, Santa made several deliveries to animals that are experiencing their first holiday season at the Cincinnati Zoo,” said Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard. “Some of the animals on Santa’s Nice List include sea otters Chloe and Kevin, American black bears Juniper and Hazel, western lowland gorilla, Mboka Jo, and Asian small-clawed otter pups Ripple, Splash, Scuttle and Puddles. They enjoyed the treats and enrichment that Santa gave them.”
Santa will be available for visits and photos in the spectacular Santa’s Village, starting at 4 p.m. today and tomorrow. PNC Festival of Lights will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and will reopen on December 26.
The Zoo’s Happy Zoo Year celebration, powered by Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Honda Dealers, offers a kid-friendly, early countdown at 8 p.m. and also includes games, a New Year’s giveaway item while supplies last, and a DJ to get people dancing.
Come see why we’re number 1! Save time and money by purchasing tickets online before you visit. Prices for traditionally lower traffic nights, such as Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, are as much as half less than those purchased for the most popular nights. Memberships are on sale now and are a great value if you want to enjoy the Zoo year-round and visit PNC Festival of Lights more than once.
PNC Festival of Lights is included in Zoo admission. For more event information, visit CincinnatiZoo.org. Download the Zoo’s mobile app to plan your visit and navigate the park.