Wild Lights Cheers! - A Wild Experience

The Aquatic & Reptile Center will be open and welcoming guests from 5:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. Come and see the huge population of fish, reptiles, invertebrates, and amphibians.

Try your hand at these classic games:

• Inflatable Snowball Throw
• Cornhole
• Jenga
• Connect 4
• LED Mini Golf

Purchase a Holiday Hop Pass and travel around the Zoo sampling seasonal beers. Available in the U.S. Bank Gathering Place (no online sales).

Embark on a holiday beer journey and enjoy these bubbly brews:

• Stop #1, Gathering Place – Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA
• Stop #2, Leinie Lodge – Deschutes Brewery Jubelale Winter Ale
• Stop #3, Bear Garden – Duesterbeck’s Brewing Company Nutty Bill’s Peanut Butter Porter
• Stop #4, Nourish 414 – Great Lakes Brewing Company Barrel Aged Christmas Ale

Check out live ice-carving demonstrations near the Aquatic & Reptile Center.

LED artists will showcase dazzling displays of color, imagery, and skill every 15 minutes.

Warm up with beer, bites, and music from Dirty Boogie in the Peck Welcome Center.

Gather ‘round near the Conservation Outpost for an outdoor screening of the holiday favorite, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

North Shore Bank Safari Train (operates until 8:30 p.m. — weather-dependent) – Enjoy a crisp, winter woodland ride.
$4 plus tax

Penzeys Carousel (operates until 9:30 p.m. — weather-dependent) – Ride atop your favorite animal on this old-fashioned fan favorite.
$3 plus tax

Sky Safari (operates until 8:30 p.m. — weather-dependent) – Experience Wild Lights from above!
$4 plus tax

Meet Jolly ‘ole St. Nick himself and receive a Polaroid of your photo with Santa!

Located in the Conservation Outpost.

Stop to take and share photos at several selfie spots! Located at Modern Woodmen Otter Passage.

To accommodate guests with sensory sensitivities, a special Wild Lights Guide is available to join in this sparkly event.

Help wildlife by recycling your holiday lights at the Zoo this year! Recycling lights keeps them out of landfills and allows materials to be reused — less space for landfills means more space for wildlife! Look for the collection bin in the U.S. Bank Gathering Place through January 11, 2026.

Wild Lights just got a little wilder! Discover the magic of the holidays with the Wild Lights, Wild Finds scavenger hunt! As you journey through, you’ll have the chance to answer questions, submit photos, and answer polls. Earn badges for completing challenges at different festive zones across the Zoo to win exciting prizes.

To get started, download the Eventzee app at https://mkezoo.com/ScavengerHunt and create an account. When you’re ready for your wild winter adventure, enter event code mczwildlights. This free scavenger hunt will have you exploring across the Zoo, so be sure to dress for winter weather!