ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
WHAT: ZooLights
WHEN: Nov 23–25, 30; Dec 1–2, 7–9, 14–16, 21–23, 26–31; Jan 1–6 from 5-9pm
WHERE: Lincoln Park Zoo (2001 N. Clark St.)
HOST: Lincoln Park Zoo (Presented by ComEd and Charter One)
OUR RATING: Do It!
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
When Lincoln Park Zoo does something, it goes all out! This year’s ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo is a free and fun way to spend your evenings during the holiday season that will literally light up your night. With thousands of lights and displays illuminating every tree, building and branch in the zoo, and the care a precision taken to mount them, this attraction is one of Chicago’s finest, and highly recommended for families and kids of all ages.
We entered the ZooLights knowing what to expect, but were even more amazed than we could have imagined: lights everywhere, the smell of spiced wine, and the cry of the black howler monkeys hit you in a succession of waves. In a way, you might think that the jungle meets Christmas schtick is a little bizarre, but it works just as well as George of the Jungle on a snowy night, which means fun for everyone.
Lincoln Park ZooLights (courtesy of lpzoo.org and Todd Rosenberg Photography)
And there really is plenty to do: kids can have their picture taken with Santa until December 23rd, before he has to jet off around the world delivering presents. Holiday crafts and demonstrations are everywhere, with professional ice sculptors showing you every detail of their craft. There are also alcoholic holiday favourites for the grown-ups and plenty of food for sale.
The focal point of ZooLights is probably the musical light display, which changes soundtracks every 30 seconds or so, going from your more dreamy “White Christmas” to the holly jolly “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” all synced with lights at the south end of the park. Other light highlights include light tunnels (where you are surrounded by over 100 feet of lights), a beautiful tree with LED lights that look like dripping icicles and some pretty awesome neon zebra. Apparently, the first 1,000 guests each night also receive their cool holiday specs to check out the lights.
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
The magic of the ZooLights never seems to diminish and this might be related to the human fascination with the conquest of nature: bringing light to the dark, the otherworldly glow dispelling our fears of the dark. But, at Lincoln Park Zoo, human ingenuity and natural beauty complement each other in an almost symbiotic relationship: the lights simply would not be special without the majesty of the zoo backing them.
So, grab a loved one, your family or just a pack of friends and head to Lincoln Park Zoo tonight for an unforgettable holiday staple of the Chicago winter season.