Philadelphia Zoo revives LumiNature, an immersive holiday light experience

LumiNature is a nighttime event that runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each evening until January 9.

Friday, November 19, 2021
Philadelphia Zoo revives massive holiday light experience
Philadelphia Zoo revives massive holiday light experienceIT'S BACK! The LumiNature holiday light experience has returned to the Philadelphia Zoo with double the number of lights.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The LumiNature holiday light experience has returned to the Philadelphia Zoo with double the number of lights. The event kicked off Thursday and lasts into the new year.

Families will be immersed in the sparkle of tons of lights and giant displays at the beginning of their LumiNature experience.

A setup of this scale requires more than a million lights and 10 miles of hidden power cables.

"In all my years, I've never seen nothing like this," said Earl Foster of West Philadelphia.

"They did a really good job. Everything going around. Everything catches your eye, so it's a really good time," added Bill Giamboy of Blackwood, New Jersey.

LumiNature features 14 zones, like Flamingo Fancy, which leads to a Christmas tree filled with illuminated flamingos. From there, the main path takes you into the world of the big cats.

The LumiNature holiday light experience is returning to the Philadelphia Zoo with double the amount of lights.

There's an entire section dedicated to the underwater world, featuring ultraviolet coral reefs. There's also the Arctic Passage zone, which is sponsored by 6abc.

The section has a 3-D globe and will incorporate music. The string of lights in that zone mimic colorful ice crystals and are sure to make a great backdrop for those posts on social media.

Families will be able to buy plenty of hot food and snacks, as well as hot chocolate with options for adults to spike their drinks.

While doing that, you're bound to come across many performers on stilts as well as bubble magicians who will be seen throughout the zoo.

"It's a little bit of a variety as you travel through the zoo and it gives you an opportunity to both experience everything that we have here to offer and experience those that you are spending your time with," said Dani Hogan, Director of Mission Integration at the Philadelphia Zoo.

LumiNature is a nighttime event that runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each evening until January 9.

Guests are required to sign up for time slots online when buying tickets. It's the same process that has been required during the pandemic.

Tickets are $20 for kids 2-11 and $25 for everyone 12 and up.

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