The Bronx Zoo’s seasonal celebration returns!

Select dates November 19 through January 9
Exclusive Member Preview: Sold Out

Tickets are required and must be reserved in advance.

Join us for a family holiday festival at the Bronx Zoo. During the evenings, the park comes to life with holiday cheer as immersive light displays, custom-designed animal lanterns and animated light shows sparkle across the zoo. The outdoor celebration is complete with festive entertainment, seasonal treats and classic holiday music. The walk-through experience is a beloved tradition, enchanting and fun for all ages.
Changes to activity availability may occur due to unforeseen conditions. This program does not include animal exhibits. All animal exhibits close at 4:00pm. Holiday Lights is a rain or shine event.

Holiday Lights 2021 Map

A celebration in lights

We’re celebrating the wildlife we love with immersive light displays, animal lanterns, holiday decor, animated sculptures, colored tunnels and arches, tree lighting, and architectural lighting.

More than 260 lanterns representing almost 70 animal and plant species will connect you to the real wildlife and wild places that WCS staff works to protect through our field programs around the world, and our zoos and aquarium in New York. 79 new lanterns representing 30 new animal species will make their debut at this year’s Holiday Lights!

A glowing pathway celebrating Africa’s animals in lights, including giraffes, cheetahs, zebras, lions, lemurs, gorillas, okapi, African gray parrots, and chimpanzees.

Encounter glittering rhinos, tigers, hornbills, pangolin, leopards, monkeys, elephants, snow leopard, and markhor.

Discover our illuminated macaws, jaguar, crocodile, and flamingos plus all-new guanacos, puma, elephant seals, anaconda, river turtles, and spider monkeys.

Experience North American animal lanterns, including polar bears, caribou, wolves, and bison plus all-new walrus, wolverine, brown bears, moose, trumpeter swans, golden eagles, and prairie dogs.

An undersea journey in lights including penguins, sea turtles, dolphins, corals, sea lions, spotted rays, and nurse sharks.

FOREST OF COLOR

Journey into a forest of light, surrounded by 21 all-new larger-than-life lanterns representing toads, frogs, snails, sunbirds, turtles, moths, butterflies, and more in a unique outdoor experience.

The brightly colored animals and plants that fill the Forest of Color represent the beauty and diversity of nature, showing that our planet is home to tiny animals who display some of the brightest colors on earth, and sharing ideas on how we can help to protect them.

Entertainment

Costume Characters

Meet costumed wildlife characters and take a photo.

Somba Village

Ice Carving Demonstrations

Join us for nightly ice carving demonstrations as expert artists create wildlife art from giant ice blocks!

Grizzly Corner

Ice Carving Competitions

On Fridays starting 11/26, except 12/31, watch as our expert ice artists go head-to-head in live carving competitions!

Grizzly Corner

Stilt Walkers

Encounter amazing animal-themed stilt walkers - perfect for family photo ops and festive fun.

Astor Court

Holiday Train

The family-favorite kids’s ride returns for 2021!

Astor Court; $3 ($2 Members)

Wildlife Theater

Enjoy family-friendly puppet adventures and test your wits in an animal trivia challenge.

Dancing Crane Pavilion

Seasonal Treats

Get your fill of hot cocoa, roasted marshmallows, ice cream, coffee, and gifts to bring home and enjoy. Plus we’re adding more s’mores than ever before - featuring creative toppings!

Throughout the Zoo

A beloved tradition returns! Plan your visit today.

Buy Tickets Member Tickets
Tickets are required and must be reserved in advance.

WCS Member Benefits

Tickets are required and must be reserved in advance.

Member Tickets

WCS Zoo Members

Three preview days
November 16-18 SOLD OUT

40% off tickets to all event days

IDNYC and Aquarium Members

40% off tickets to all event days

Conservation Supporter level Members & above

Enjoy free entry to Holiday Lights throughout the program

Join as a Conservation Level Member now for FREE access to Holiday Lights!

Become a Conservation Member Now

Want to upgrade your existing membership?

Call us at 718-220-5112 from 9 am to 5 pm daily!

Check out Members FAQs for more details.

Interested in booking a private, exclusive Holiday Lights evening experience for your group?

Learn More

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WCS PARKS PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH A SAFE RECREATIONAL SPACE.

What to expect during your Holiday Lights visit:

Holiday Lights is a fully outdoors experience.

CONSISTENT WITH NY STATE/CITY AND CDC GUIDANCE, MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR UNVACCINATED GUESTS in areas where social distancing cannot be maintained.

What to expect during your daytime visit to the Bronx Zoo:

CONSISTENT WITH NY STATE/CITY AND CDC GUIDANCE:

MASKS ARE REQUIRED OUTDOORS FOR UNVACCINATED GUESTS over the age of 2, in areas where social distancing cannot be maintained.

MASKS ARE REQUIRED INDOORS FOR ALL GUESTS over the age of 2, regardless of vaccination status. In accordance with the mandate announced by New York City, our vaccination policy has changed. However, there are many outdoor experiences for you to enjoy at the zoos, regardless of vaccination status.

All guests 5 and older will be required to show proof of at least one vaccine dose in order to enter indoor exhibits. Children under the age of 5 are permitted into indoor exhibits with a vaccinated chaperone.

Be sure to stop at the Vaccination Check Station at the Bronx Zoo Admissions area before you enter the park, to show proof of vaccination for an indoor access wristband.

CHECK OUT OUR KNOW BEFORE YOU GO PAGE FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION on our current entry policies and procedures for all other WCS Parks