News and Stories

Open Nightly Beginning November 23

CINCINNATI (October 23, 2012) – The Cincinnati Zoo is GLOWrious during the 30th Annual PNC Festival of Lights! While seeing over two-million LED lights strung throughout the Zoo, guests can also enjoy the NEW S’mores-N-More station, Madcap puppets in black-light, a NEW Wild Lights Show on Swan Lake, train rides and much more. The PNC Festival of Lights opens November 23 and glows through January 1, 2013 from 5 – 9 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 5-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

This year, guests will enjoy more lights and more color than ever before as they journey through the Zoo’s themed areas. From Fairy Land where kids can search for the five hidden fairies to Candy Cane Forest and Twinkle Trail! Children can visit Santa in the North Pole up till December 23. Rappin’ Elves and other costumed characters stroll through the park for special appearances throughout the PNC Festival of Lights celebration.

As guests enter the Zoo they are welcomed at the entrance by a breath-taking 35-foot-tall tree, blanketed with more than 20,000 LED lights in the Zoo’s Historic Vine Street Village. Just beyond the entrance is Swan Lake, where visitors experience the spectacular sights and sounds of the Wild Lights Show – a 21-foot-tall computer-controlled tree with thousands of LED lights dancing to the beat of NEW holiday songs. Head on over to the Train Depot and see the sights aboard the North Polar Express or meet the Talking Tigers, “Blizzard” and “Snowflake.”

In the Wings of Wonder Theater, watch life size puppets come to life right before your eyes during live performances of Winter Wonders by Madcap Puppet Theatre. Each amazing black-light theater-style show features an array of holiday themes including snowmen, ice skating, and of course dancing marshmallows! Enjoy three shows nightly at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. An additional 9:30 p.m. show will be shown on Friday and Saturday nights.

Warm up inside the Special FX 4-D Theater for a showing of the Polar Express™ 4-D Experience. Be sure to purchase tickets in advance online. Shows will sell out early!

Visit the Zoo’s cold climate animal residents who are especially active and prefer cooler temperatures. Winter is the lions, polar bears, red pandas, Japanese macaques, sea lions and reindeer’s favorite time of the year! You can lose the scarves and mittens while visiting hundreds of other warm-weather animals inside more than a dozen heated indoor exhibits.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with delightful seasonal fare such as fresh-baked cookies, caramel apples, funnel cakes, homemade fudge, hot pretzels and roasted nuts. Or warm up with Starbucks coffee, a glass of hot apple cider or hot chocolate. This year, be sure to visit the NEW S’mores-N-More Station where guests can purchase a S’more kit and roast the marshmallows over an open fire. Cross items off of your holiday shopping list at one of the Zoo’s gift shops, including the Zoo Shop at the Historic Vine Street Village and the Zoosters’ Treasure House, now located in the P&G Discovery Forest.

But it doesn’t end there! Guests are invited to ring in the 2013 Zoo Year with a bunch of “party animals”. Kids of all ages are invited to Happy Zoo Year as the Zoo holds its very own New Year’s Eve bash on Monday, December 31 from 5 – 9 p.m. Meet Father Time and Baby Zoo Year during a one-of-a-kind meet and greet. Enjoy an EARLY Zoo Year Countdown at 8:55 p.m., complete with party favors and Rozzi’s fireworks. Discounts are available! Visit any area United Dairy Farmers (UDF) and receive Half Priced Admission coupons good for Monday – Wednesday, through December 11. Discount tickets are also available at any area Kroger, good for $2 off adult and $1 off child admission any day of the event.

Celebrate 30 years of family and tradition at the Cincinnati Zoo PNC Festival of Lights. The Zoo opens daily at 9 a.m. The PNC Festival of Lights is open 5 – 9 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and is open 5 – 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays from November 23 – January 1, 2013, except on Christmas Eve and Day.