Following the flip of an oversized light switch at the Holiday Lights opening ceremony on November 18, the Bronx Zoo is officially back in holiday mode. The tree was illuminated, and the display of millions of string lights and more than 400 lanterns was complete, ready to welcome back the families who have made the zoo part of their traditions.
Illuminated Animal Displays
The impressive display begins at the fountain, where the famous seals are replicated in life-sized lantern form. Their playful shapes are a taste of the nearly 100 different animal and plant species lanterns that await. Six trails are illuminated, each themed around a different area of the zoo’s normal exhibits. Families can walk them all and seek out their favorite animals, whether it’s the African trail with its giraffes stretching high above the zebras and fierce lions or the brightly lit birds and flowers on the Forest of Color trail.
Photo by Parker Piccolo Hill
“Everybody’s used to coming here and seeing animals, but they come here at night and they see the zoo in a whole other dimension,” says Jim Breheny, director of the Bronx Zoo and EVP of WCS Zoos & Aquarium. “I think it’s great when we use spaces like this in non-traditional ways.”
Fun Family-Friendly Activities
Many of the classic zoo activities are reformatted for winter. The Bug Carousel features strings of holiday lights and hanging ornaments. At the Wildlife Pavilion, families can take part in holiday Bingo or watch the animal puppets remix holiday songs as part of winter–themed skits. Nearby are interactive displays, light-up stepping stones, and glowing wall flowers that shift colors with the press of a tiny hand or foot.
Photo by Parker Piccolo Hill
New this year is the Freeze Zone, with an illuminated (faux) ice throne for photo ops, and fun activities like a huge snow tube slide and the snowball toss game, where kids can arm themselves with soft, wooly snowballs. They’re perfectly sized to throw at the screen and defeat oncoming hordes of evil snowmen.
Seasonal touches are scattered throughout the zoo. Expert ice carvers are active all night, carving elaborate sculptures of animals for display. Plaques at animal exhibits are redone with season’s greeting cards and wintry themed facts. Illuminated performers in stilts perform their best dance moves as huge glowing bird puppets pretend to nibble at passersby.
Stellar S’mores Station
To warm up, there’s plenty of food and drink. At the s’mores station, pick up a marshmallow and stick ($6.99) and head to the standalone firepits. Toast your marshmallow (and your hands) before crafting the perfect stack at the plating area. Other warm options include hot chocolate, which, with the purchase of a souvenir light-up cup, comes with free refills all night long ($16.99).
Behind the bright exterior, the seriousness of the Bronx Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society’s mission is ever present. The event reopened in 2019 after a 12-year hiatus, once LED technology had progressed enough to make the lights more environmentally friendly. Now, the entire display uses the same amount of power as an air-conditioning unit, a perfect blend of the zoo’s dual dedications to conservation and the community.
Photo by Parker Piccolo Hill
“It’s become a tremendous holiday tradition in New York, and in the Bronx, and we’re really proud of that,” shares Breheny. “We love the lights, and we love the excitement, but the best thing is the fact that you all come out every year to enjoy the zoo in a different way.”
Holiday Lights are open on select dates from November 21 to January 4. Hours are 3-9 p.m., with the last entrance at 8 p.m. Specific date member tickets are $25.95 for adults, $16.95 for children three to 12, and $22.95 for seniors. Specific date non-member tickets are priced as $41.95 for adults, $26.95 for children three to 12, and $36.95 for seniors. “Any Night” tickets are available for an additional cost.
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