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Wild Lights
presented by Commerce Bank
5 to 8:30 p.m.
Select nights, Nov. 29 through Dec. 29, 2024
Sensory-Friendly Night is Dec. 9
See yourself in the magic of Wild Lights! Enjoy brilliant displays featuring over 1 million twinkling lights, festive menus, Zoo attractions, kids' activities and more!
Tickets
Dates | Members (Ages 2+) | |
$12 | $15 | |
$12 | $15 | |
$12 | $15 | |
$10 | $10 | |
$15 | $18 | |
$12 | $15 |
Free for children ages 0-23 months. High demand is expected, and popular dates may sell out quickly. Tickets may be purchased online the night of the event (based on ticket availability). Tickets are valid only for the day and time noted. Tickets are nonrefundable, except in the case of event cancellation. Tickets are nontransferable.
If you need assistance with your tickets, please call our Guest Experience team at (314) 646-4797.
Free with Admission:
- Penguin & Puffin Coast
- Sea Lion Tunnel (located at Sea Lion Sound)
- 4D Theater, featuring “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D"
- Take-home craft for kids
- Parking on both North and South Lots*
Additional Attractions Open:
Wild Explorer VR Experience ($5 for all guests); one movie per ticket:
- “Gorilla Trek”
- “The Great Migration”
- “Elf Power”
*Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Luminous Light Displays and Holiday Entertainment
- Walk through a winter wonderland with twinkling light displays and themed areas.
- Enjoy nightly roaming entertainment.
- Kids can make a craft to take home, participate in activities and write a letter to Santa.
New in 2024: get your photo taken at the Locomotive Photo Op, available nightly at The Wild train station. You and your loved ones can gather next to a stationary Zooline Railroad locomotive, where a Zoo volunteer will be available to take pictures with your phones/cameras. Be sure to share the fun on social media and tag your photos with #StlZoo and #WildLights2024! (Note: the Zooline Railroad will not run during Wild Lights.)
Aquatic Animals
Waddle into Penguin & Puffin Coast, where it's a warm 45 degrees (last entry at 8 p.m.).
And look up in awe as California sea lions and harbor seals swim over your head at Sea Lion Sound.
Please
note: these are the only animal exhibits open during Wild Lights.
Zoo Attractions
Cozy up at the 4D Theater for a showing of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D," included with admission.
For $5 a ticket, visit the Zoo's new attraction, the Wild Explorer VR Experience, showing:
- “Gorilla Trek”
- “The Great Migration”
- “Elf Power”
Holiday Treats and Shopping
Enjoy festive food and specialty holiday beverages, available for purchase at several food venues. Novelty items include:
- S’mores kits (roast your own s’mores at open fire pits)
- Adult hot chocolate (21+) and traditional hot chocolates
- Funnel cake fries with assorted sauces
- Cinnamon-topped pretzels with frosting or cream cheese
- Warmed chocolate chip cookies
- Sticky toffee holiday bundt cake
Need to do some holiday shopping? All guests receive a 10% discount at open gift shops. Zoo members receive a 20% discount!
Sensory-Friendly Night
Monday, Dec. 9, is Sensory-Friendly Night for neurodivergent guests with sensory sensitivities. This special night will mirror the traditional Wild Lights experience, but also includes sensory maps, quiet areas and trained Zoo staff to assist individuals with sensory sensitivities.
Sensory-Friendly Night is sponsored by Mastercard.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there is no timed entry.
The Zoo closes for all guests at 4 p.m. Doors re-open at 5 p.m. for the ticketed event. Last entry to the event is 8 p.m., and the event concludes at 8:30 p.m.
Parking is available on the North and South Lots.
While parking for the event is free, lots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and may reach capacity. If lots are full, limited street parking within the boundaries of Forest Park also is available for free.
Buying tickets online is the best option as the Zoo is experiencing high call volumes. Tickets do sell out, so buying in advance is recommended.
If you need assistance with your tickets, please call our Guest Experience team at (314) 646-4797. Lines are staffed daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Zoo's wheelchair, stroller and ECV rental fees apply for this event.
Groups of 15 or more may receive a discounted rate on tickets when bought and paid for at least eight days prior to your visit date. To buy group tickets, please call (314) 646-4781, or visit the Group Ticket Desk at the North Entrance from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Inclement weather with precipitation or high winds may hinder some displays from working correctly. We apologize for any inconvenience.
In case of a cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, the Zoo will update its website and social media by 3 p.m. on the day of the event. Ticket holders also will receive an email. (If no guest alert has been posted by 3 p.m., the event will continue as planned.) If you have tickets for a canceled event, you will receive a full refund on the credit or debit card used to purchase. The Zoo will do its best to issue refunds promptly.
Yes! Check out our hotel partners during your stay in St. Louis.
Thank You to Our 2024 Sponsors
Commerce Bank
Spire
Coca-Cola
Mid America Chevy Dealers
Prairie Farms Dairy
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities for Wild Lights or other Zoo events, please contact sponsorship@stlzoo.org.