Celebrate the Magic of the Holiday Season During Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Powell, OH — ‘Tis the season to experience one of Central Ohio’s most cherished holiday traditions! Wildlights, efficiently powered by AEP Ohio, opens to the general public on Friday, November 20 and will run through Sunday, January 3, 2021 at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

This year’s Wildlights marks 32 years of offering this holiday cheer in our community, with some favorite attractions returning and other new opportunities being offered! The entire Zoo will be transformed into a winter wonderland covered in over 3 million LED lights, and some of the main attractions include:

Sparkling Spruce, presented by Meyers Jewelers, featuring two animated light displays, “Candela: The Evolution of Light” and “Holiday Cheer,” located in Adventure Cove
Animated Light Displays, including “Holiday Rhythms Around the Watering Hole” at Conservation Lake, and “Jingle Ball,” presented by Nationwide, at the Shores Play Park
Wildlights Rides, including the Polar Bear Express, a train ride through the North America Winter Wonderland; Camel Rides, located in the North America region; and the 1914 Mangels-Illions Carousel, a historic Central Ohio treasure located near the Columbus Dispatch Charities Grand Pavilion. Additional fees may apply.
S’mores Experience - New for 2020, this socially-distanced activity allows guests to gather around a glowing fire to roast their own giant marshmallow. After roasting, seating is available for guests to assemble their own warm and gooey s'more while taking in our animated light display from the shores of Conservation Lake. Advance purchase is strongly encouraged as space is limited. Guests can add a S'mores Experience ticket to any timed entry reservation for Wildlights.
Santa Experience at Polar Frontier, located in the North America Region at the Battelle Ice Bear Outpost. Enjoy the ability to speak with Santa, as well as take part in a safe and fun photo opportunity, while still maintaining social distancing. Please see the “Know Before You Go” section below for more information. Please note that Santa will not be available after December 23 due to other obligations.
And, of course, amazing animals! Many animals will be visible from the comfort of heated, indoor shelters including Manatee Coast, Discovery Reef, the Naomi Coyle Dempsey Quest for Enlightenment Interpretive Center, Vanishing Giants, the Reptile Building, and Bob & Evelyn’s Roadhouse Nocturnal Building. Others—including the sea lions at Adventure Cove and, of course, the reindeer—will be outside during the festivities. Please note that some animals settle in early (such as the gorillas, bonobos and polar bears) and will not be available to view after 4 p.m.

Tours and Experiences

This year, you can add to your Wildlights experience and enjoy a unique opportunity to create family memories! Featured experiences include:
Reindeer Encounter – NEW for 2020! Enjoy an up-close experience with the Zoo’s adorable reindeer! During this exclusive opportunity, guests will spend time with the Animal Care team while visiting the reindeer in their habitat to learn more about the care and conservation of this species.*
Wildlights Sea Lion Encounter – NEW for 2020! Join some of the newest faces at the Zoo for a special Wildlights Sea Lion Encounter! Learn about this outgoing species, as well as other opportunity in Adventure Cove, and don’t forget to smile! Your sea lion encounter includes one 5” x 7” souvenir photo to take home as a memory of this special experience.*
Wildlights Tour: You can enjoy Wildlights after most of the other guests have left by booking a Wildlights Tour. You will be escorted around the Zoo in a VIP golf cart while snuggling up under a warm blanket with a mug of hot chocolate. It’s the perfect experience for those looking for holiday fun with family or friends.*

*Additional fees apply and advance reservations are required. For more information about these opportunities and other tours and experiences, please visit the Zoo’s website.

Know Before You Go

Regular Zoo hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. Wildlights activities take place Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m,. and on Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Zoo will be closed Thanksgiving Day (November 26) and Christmas Day (December 25), as well as for Wildlights on Christmas Eve (December 24).
Wildlights is included with Zoo admission. Regular admission rates apply to all guests, and admission is free for Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Members.
Please note that all Zoo visits (including for Members) will require a dated, timed ticket to help ensure that social distancing and other precautions are followed appropriately.
Until November 19, Members can still visit the Zoo after 2 p.m. without a timed entry/reservation. However, starting on November 19 (through the remainder of Wildlights), Columbus Zoo Members can enjoy the Zoo BEFORE 3 p.m. without a reservation when a valid Columbus Zoo membership card and photo ID are presented at the turnstile. After 3 p.m., Members will then be required to reserve an entry time for admission to enjoy Wildlights.
All of our other guests will continue to be required to make advance reservations for timed entry throughout the entire day/evening of Wildlights. No walkups will be permitted
All reservations can be made online by visiting the Zoo’s Re-Opening Plan.
This year’s Santa experience has been reimagined in accordance with Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Guests are encouraged to make reservations online for this experience. Walkups will only be permitted if there is still availability during the scheduled time slots. Each group that enters the building will not exceed more than 10 people, and each party will move through the facility following markings while remaining at least 6 feet away from other guests, the photographer and Santa. Guests will have the ability to speak with Santa while socially distanced, as well as get a photo looking out a window while Santa is in his sleigh and a few of his reindeer adorn the “housetop.” This custom-made setting was inspired by the “Up on the Housetop” song written by Benjamin Hanby in 1864. For those medically able, guests are required to wear masks at all times while indoors, except when the photo is being taken. Hand sanitizer will be available at the check-in station and at the photo sales station. Strollers will be permitted inside the building but not near the photo set. Guests are also permitted to take their own photos but only at a designated location after the professional photograph is taken. Additional fees apply for this experience.
For more information about Wildlights and other upcoming events please visit the Zoo’s event calendar.

Be sure to follow the Zoo’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and visit us at ColumbusZoo.org for additional information about animals, wildlife experiences and other happenings at the Columbus Zoo.

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About the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Home to more than 10,000 animals representing over 600 species from around the globe, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium leads and inspires by connecting people and wildlife. The Zoo complex is a recreational and education destination that includes the 22-acre Zoombezi Bay water park and 18-hole Safari Golf Course. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium also manages The Wilds, a 10,000-acre conservation center and safari park located in southeastern Ohio. The Zoo is a regional attraction with global impact, annually contributing privately raised funds to support conservation projects worldwide. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Columbus Zoo has earned Charity Navigator’s prestigious 4-star rating.