safari lights oakland zoo

Visitor’s Guide to Glowfari at the Oakland Zoo for 2024

The animals at the Oakland Zoo go to bed pretty early in the cold winter months. That presented a problem for the zoo–it couldn’t stay open into the evenings in the Winter, since there was nothing for visitors to see.

The zoo’s solution,  Glowfari , is absolutely brilliant–both literally and figuratively. The annual display has become a mile-long extravaganza of light, sculpture, and music. It’s a wonderful reason to visit the zoo after hours, enjoying a unique evening and lending much-needed support to this Oakland institution.

Glowfari, which replaces the Oakland Zoo’s former holiday-centered Zoo Lights event–is modeled on displays of Chinese lanterns. Fabric-covered metal lanterns are illuminated from within, glowing radiantly, especially after the sun goes down.

Except here at the Oakland Zoo, the lanterns aren’t covering just any theme; all the lanterns show various animals, in many cases the same ones who you can visit during the day at the zoo. And these lanterns are massive–many are human-sized or even larger, towering over visitors and wowing them with lights and sometimes motion, too.

Here’s everything to know about visiting Glowfari at the Oakland Zoo.

When Does Glowfari Open in 2023-2024?

Tickets for Glowfari in 2024 went on sale in November. You can get them on the Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari website.

The actual event opens a bit later, but it now runs into the New Year. Glowfari is open:

• January 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, 2024

It used to be a holidays-only event, but now you have a lot more time to visit Glowfari! Basically, the zoo is trying to give you something to do on those cold, dark nights when you otherwise wouldn’t be able to see their animals.

How much are Glowfari Tickets?

Glowfari tickets aren’t too expensive, especially relative to other Bay Area activities.

• Adults: $26 (up from $24 last year)
• Children (2-14)/Seniors (65-75): $22
• Members: You still have to pay for tickets if you’re a member, but you get a10% discount
• This is great! Under 2 and over 76: Free
• Parking: Free

Remember that tickets are timed, and reservations are absolutely essential, since Glowfari is popular. Get your tickets online well in advance of the event.

Visiting Glowfari at the Oakland Zoo

When you first arrive at Glowfari, you’re greeted by a giant set of “wings” by the flamingo pong.

You then wander at will throughout the zoo, encountering individual lantern animals or whole scenes featuring related animals at nearly every turn. There are hundreds of animal lanterns throughout the zoo, providing plenty of reason to roam its grounds and take them all in.

In 2021, Glowfari expanded dramatically. I went in 2020, but at the time it was a more subdued, smaller event, perhaps because Covid-19 lockdowns were just ending. Now, the zoo has gone all out, adding new lanterns each year.

It’s expanded each year, and the 2023-2024 season is bigger than ever, with a whole section devoted to polar animals and a new Under the Sea section by the children’s zoo.

Here’s a video I made from my 2021 visit.

What’s New at Glowfari in 2024

Here’s what’s new in 2024:

• Forests of North America section
• Polar bears, puffins and other Arctic animals
• Deep Ocean section with deep sea fish and an overall under the seas theme
• Bayou section with a giant aligator

Best Things to See at Glowfari

One of my favorite exhibits is a massive octopus you can walk into.

There’s also a massive African savannah area you can wander around, complete with life-sized elephants, a giraffe that bends down to “drink”, and a massive peacock whose rainbow-color features extend and retract on a timer, extending several stories into the air. There are also colorful light-up swings and a lighted dance floor you and your kids can jump around on.

One of the best things to do at Glowfari is to ride the Oakland Zoo’s gondola high into the Oakland Hills. Drifting soundlessly through the night more than 100 feet above the ground feels magical.

At the top, you’ll find a giant artic animal section, including a 65-foot long ant tunnel that’s delightful for kids. Make sure to check out the moving, giant reindeer.

Other Activities and Food at Glowfari

On your visit, you can head to the Tuskers Grill near the entrance or the cafe at the gondola landing for food.

• Tuskers has more basic, kid-friendly fare like tacos and quesadillas. Note that it serves different food during Glowfari than during the day
• The Landing Cafe atop the Oakland Hills has fancier fare

The zoo’s train operates during Glowfari, whisking you through an enclosure filled with sleeping wallaroos and emus, who seem vaguely confused and annoyed to see you there. You can also peek in at the zoo’s snoozing tortoises , who bask under heat lamps at night. Otherwise, the animals are safely asleep in their sheds and interior areas.

How long does it take to go through Glowfari?

On my 2021 visit to Glowfari, I arrived at 4:56pm and left at 7:45pm. That means I spent almost three hours at Glowfari. I spent about the same amount of time in 2024.

I would budget at least two hours to go through the whole Glowfari, or three hours to be safe. Plan to walk a lot–again, the exhibits themselves are closed, so visiting is mostly about taking a stroll through the zoo. If you plan to visit the upper area by taking the gondola, budget more time.

If you’re visiting with little kids, you can also hang out around the giraffe, lion and elephant areas and not ride the gondola.

I stopped for food, so that made my visit longer. If you eat before visiting, two hours is probably plenty.

My Review of Glowfari

You’d think that zoo-sized light display would be gaudy or tacky, but it’s not. Each lantern is a hand-painted work of art that’s been preserved and used for years. It’s a legitimately wondrous experience to wander among these lighted giants and take in the zoo at night.

The zoo’s choice of music is a highlight of the experience, too. Speakers set among the lanterns plan animal-themed popular music. I heard Elton John’s  Crocodile Rock , Ylvis’s  What Does the Fox Say? , and Katy Perry’s  Roar  playing, among many other clever selections during my 2024.

Of course, there’s a ton of holiday music, too.

Glowfari is also incredibly important for the Oakland Zoo, which is primarily supported by visitor tickets and came  dangerously close to closing for good  due to Covid-19. The zoo works with a Chinese lantern company called Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc to run the event and create the authentic lanterns.

You get to enjoy artistic animals and help feed the zoo’s real animals with your ticket purchase, a major win-win. Dress warmly, as it gets chilly, especially up in the hills. There’s hot chocolate available to purchase at the food stands, too. It’s a wonderful way to spend time with your family or a fun thing to do for a couple, too.

Share this:

Thomas Smith

One comment.

• Pingback: Video: Visiting Glowfari at Oakland Zoo - Bay Area Telegraph

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from bay area telegraph.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

• Watch ABC7 newscasts on demand Full Story
• ABC7 Bay Area 24/7 live stream Watch Now

Oakland Zoo's Glowfari lights up the nights this holiday season

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The Oakland Zoo is lit up for the holidays. The zoo is debuting a new, socially-distanced experience called Glowfari.

Towering, lit-up animal lanterns will be spread across the zoo. People can check it out on a mile-long stroll.

LIST: Check out these COVID-safe Bay Area holiday light shows, activities, event s

It costs $20 for adults and $18 for kids. You do need to purchase tickets in advance .

Dinner, hot chocolate, and snacks will be available for purchase. There is also a gondola available that will be festively lit up to guide people by the dinosaur lanterns.

RELATED: San Francisco's Golden Gate Park to transform into winter wonderland light exhibit for 150th anniversary

Proceeds support Oakland Zoo's operating expenses, animal care, education and conservation programs.

It is a replacement of years past Zoolights. This year will include more dates, times, and larger displays.

It runs through mid-January.

Related Topics

• COMMUNITY & EVENTS
• OAKLAND ZOO
• HOLIDAY LIGHTS
• SOCIAL DISTANCING
• FAMILY & PARENTING
• BAY AREA EVENTS
• OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

How to turn a supermarket bouquet into a lusher flower arrangement

SJ celebrates Cinco de Mayo with parades and lowriders

Bay Area Jewish community prepares for Passover

Dangers behind outrage over Easter falling on Trans Day of Visibility

Top stories.

Protesters take over condemned hall owned by UC Berkeley: police

Dow Jones Industrial Average hits 40,000 for the 1st time

• 9 minutes ago

Alameda orders stop to climate change experiment on USS Hornet

San Jose Fire boot camp invites women and gender-diverse individuals

Trump trial live updates: Defense resumes cross-examination of Michael Cohen

• 24 minutes ago

Students for Gaza at SFSU scale back encampment; reach agreement

Sonoma State president on leave after agreement with protesters

• 2 hours ago

Alameda County DA responds after recall election date set

Oakland Zoo's Glowfari extravaganza opens for the holiday season

By alyssa goard • published november 10, 2023 • updated on november 12, 2023 at 8:36 pm.

Friday night, the Oakland Zoo kicked off the fourth year of its holiday signature event: Glowfari.

"It is an extravagant, larger-than-life light festival for families to enjoy," explained Adam Zuby, Events Manager for the Oakland Zoo.

Visitors can head to the zoo at night to see expanses of intricate lanterns and displays all over the zoo grounds. Zuby said this year features all new lanterns depicting animals in neon landscapes, from the bayou to the ocean to the forest.

Around 2,500 people attended Glowfari Friday night, Zuby said, which is the normal capacity for this program.

Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.

San Francisco's Union Square gears up for APEC

Union Square Ice Rink opens for the season, aiming to usher in a San Francisco ‘Boom Loop'

Last year, Glowfari and the entire Oakland Zoo had to shut down for a month when a sinkhole developed on the zoo grounds. Once the zoo reopened, it extended Glowfari availability through February to account for the weeks missed during the closure.

"We’re prepared this year, a lot of our year leading up to this was making sure that situations like that are avoidable, but when it comes to nature and the elements you can’t always avoid everything," Zuby said.

If weather or other factors require Glowfari to cancel for a night, organizers say you'll automatically get an email notice and your money refunded.

Hitesh Tanwani of Fremont went to Glowfari with his family Friday night, it was their first time attending.

"It's fantastic," Tanwani said.  "It was quite a journey getting here, it took us an hour with the traffic, so we first got the kids fed and now we’re enjoying the lights."

This year Glowfari runs through January 28, 2024, but visitors should check the Oakland Zoo website for specific dates, hours, and featured events.

This article tagged under:

See Oakland Zoo Adorned With Hundreds Of Hand-Painted Animal Lanterns

Oakland Zoo's popular holiday light display Glowfari is now open through Jan. 28, 2024.

Glowfari is Oakland Zoo’s immersive light show of epic proportions featuring dozens of stunning lantern displays in a totally unique holiday light experience. Glowfari is a local favorite for both kids and adults, and we look forward to seeing it every single year. The display is now open on select dates through the end of January 2024, so now’s the time to book tickets if you haven’t already.

Each year the zoo places hundreds of gigantic hand-painted animal lanterns along a meandering pathway, making for a totally unique night tour. This year, the spectacular lanterns take you to the forests of North America with mountain lions and wolves, a frozen Arctic scene with puffins and polar bears, the Deep Ocean with mysterious and rare sea creatures, and an alligator-filled swamp. Guests can finish their experience with a thrilling train ride through the flora and fauna of Madagascar.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Visit Oakland (@visitoakland)

Visitors can also take the Express Train to the Rides Area, where they’ll be greeted by Santa in a Winter Wonderland. Santa will be present every night in December through the 23rd.

Glowfari is a special display happening after Oakland Zoo hours, so there will be no live animals to see as part of the event. Tickets will run you $26 for adults and $22 for children and seniors. Children under 2 and adults over 76 get in free, and members get a 10% discount. Keep in mind that Glowfari tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Oakland Zoo (@oaklandzoo)

Last year, Glowfari was cut short when the New Year’s Eve storms created a massive sinkhole beneath the main entrance road. The event is so popular that Oakland Zoo extended it all the way until March to make up for the lost time. Proceeds from Glowfari go to support the zoo’s operating expenses and animal care so that we may continue to enjoy events like this one well into the future.

Find Oakland Zoo at 9777 Golf Links Road in Oakland, CA.

TYPE IN YOUR SEARCH AND PRESS ENTER

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

Search the site...

• All categories

Oakland Zoo lights up with festive ‘Glowfari’ display

Two-year-old Avery squealed with delight as she stepped on a tile of an outdoor disco floor at Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari: A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival, which changed from white to blue, then purple, then red.

Toddlers, preteens and adults alike amused themselves hopping and dancing on the board game-like light-up path — which called to mind the sidewalk in Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” video — while, appropriately enough, The Weeknd’s ’80s-influenced “Blinding Lights” chimed and pulsed in the background. Nearby, kids crammed into circular swings that emitted a softer glow and changed colors like giant plastic mood rings.

That was only one corner of Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari extravaganza, and that’s not to mention the hundreds of lantern sculptures throughout the zoo shaped like all manner of life-size and oversize flora and fauna that flutter wings or bob heads when you least expect it. The intricate hand-painted paper, lit by LED lights, give the lanterns the dazzling effect of stained-glass windows.

Oakland Zoo volunteers and employees were treated to a special preview Thursday night. The festival opened to the public Friday and runs through Jan. 30. Maureen Mitchell of Alameda, who brought Avery and her mom, Sarah Johnson, also from Alameda, said she returned to Glowfari after attending last year’s event.

Mitchell said:

“I like how kid-friendly it is, but adults also have fun. It brings out their inner child.”

A psychedelic wall of luminescent vines, fluttering butterflies and large 3D flowers — with petals that move in hypnotic, come-hither motions — greets excited visitors. In the meadow, glowing cheetahs appear to be frozen mid-leap attacking a zebra, while a hippo is caught yawning, revealing his big pink mouth. An oversized peacock suddenly lifts his tail feathers to display his train, putting on a light show worthy of Las Vegas. Lantern elephants curl and uncurl their trunks in a surprisingly natural way.

Mitchell said brightly:

“It’s unique. You’re here at the zoo, and you can’t see the animals, but you can see all these fake animals.” 

When you walk deeper into the zoo, however, the smell of dung doesn’t let you forget that living animals call the park their home. A real eland — a type of antelope found in East and South Africa — lurked in the shadows of its enclosure across the way from a spectacular giant porcupine with radiant gold-and-white striped quills.

The Oakland Zoo animal care department works hard to make sure the lanterns and music won’t disturb the zoo animals, explained Erin Harrison, vice president of marketing and communications for the zoo.

“We’re really careful about where we place lanterns. We are not going to put a predator lantern anywhere near our giraffe habitat, because during the daytime the giraffes are going to see it, and they could get upset. And we make sure all the animals get settled in indoors for the night before we turn on the lights and start the show.”

The eland, however, is one of the few creatures given a choice about whether he wants to be indoors or outside during Glowfari. Harrison said:

“So we do testing for a couple weeks before with the animal care, where we see like, ‘Are they reacting; are they OK with it?'” 

“(The eland were) one of the very few livestock sort of animals that are OK with it. He was the only one that stayed out. The other eland were like, ‘No, we’re going in for the night.’ But he stayed out, which was cute.”

Elsewhere, glowing lanterns in the forms of monkeys, birds, squirrels and cicadas cling to real trees. Acorns are projected on to the walkway, and besides the myriad 3D light sculptures, LED string lights are shaped into 2D landscapes of animals and trees. Visitors who ride the gondola up to California Trail arrive in a strange land of oversize bugs and flowers. It would almost be creepy if the beasts weren’t lit up so cheerfully.

The lanterns were created by the one of the event’s partners, the Chinese company Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., though Harrison said zoo staff collaborates with Tianyu to choose the animals and diorama designs for Glowfari. Once the lanterns have been fabricated in China, Tianyu ships at least 16 containers worth of sculptures to Oakland in October and sends a staff to live here for a few months to erect and maintain the lanterns throughout Glowfari’s run.

Harrison said:

“That was a challenge in and of itself, getting it here, as you can probably guess with all the shipping craziness.”  

She estimates about three containers-worth of lanterns were repurposed from last year’s event, whereas 13 containers-worth were completely new. The lanterns are packed up at the end of the event and stored at a Northern California warehouse so Tianyu can use them at other zoos, botanical gardens and lantern festivals, which have grown in popularity in the U.S. over the last few years.

Noting she was particularly impressed with the elephant trunks, Harrison said:  

“This year, they added a lot more animatronic pieces. … It’s amazing what they can do. What I love is you can barely see the mechanism inside the lantern, even though they’re so thin.”

She continued:

“We love changing it up and bringing in new lanterns every year. So it’s still Glowfari, but it’s like a new experience.”

Glowfari debuted at the zoo in fall 2020. Prior to that, Oakland Zoo had been known for its holiday-season event, ZooLights, which featured metal structures in the shapes of animals and holiday themes adorned with Christmas-type light bulbs. When Harrison saw Tianyu’s lanterns at a zoo conference, she said she was ready for Oakland Zoo to try something different.

“I’m like, ‘This is fantastic. We’ve been doing ZooLights for like, 25 years.’ And in my opinion, it was tired, it had been done and I wanted something fresh and new and exciting.”

Harrison initially received pushback for breaking with tradition, but she eventually got the green light to give it a try it for 2020.

“The zoo is evolving, and our events need to evolve, too.” 

But no one saw Covid coming — Harrison said Glowfari had been in the works a year before the pandemic struck. Pandemic visa restrictions in fall 2020 prevented most of Tianyu’s staff from traveling to Oakland to install the most complicated interactive pieces, so Oakland Zoo had to hire local engineers to help erect the lanterns last year.

When it opened on Nov. 20, 2020, Glowfari was so popular for Bay Area residents anxious to leave their homes, it sold out through December. But another Covid wave prompted a lockdown that forced the zoo to close from Dec. 7, 2020 to Feb. 5, 2021.

“We were thinking by that time people would be over doing something for the holidays. But no, we actually had to extend it up until Daylight Savings Time because of the demand, just to make sure we didn’t have to turn people away. Because clearly everybody needed to have some fun at the time.”

Because Glowfari was such a hit, Oakland Zoo brought it back for fall 2021. This year and last, the zoo worked with Tianyu to make sure the lantern-filled landscapes were not only amusing and delightful, but educational about conservation efforts. Placed throughout the exhibition are signs with the stories of the animals depicted, like California condors, gray wolves, African elephants and polar bears, and their challenges surviving in the wild as the climate changes.

For example, dozens of lantern pandas filled a massive 3-D forest of fake bamboo. Molly Diamond of Sunnyvale, a volunteer who works with goats and in the zoo’s commissary, was admiring the scene with her boyfriend, Chris McCreddin, also of Sunnyvale, at Thursday’s event.

Diamond said:

“We love it. It’s so magical. It’s cool that everything is different this year.”

Diamond and McCreddin started dating during the pandemic, and coming to the first Glowfari in 2020 was their first outing as a couple. McCreddin said that after being cooped up for months, visiting the attraction was a real treat.

“I was like ‘Yay, finally something to do!'” 

The zoo is requiring online reservations and staggering entry times to keep visitors as safe as possible during the ongoing Covid pandemic. Unvaccinated guests are required to wear masks, while vaccinated guests are free to remove them outdoors. This year, rides like the train, gondola and carousel are open.

A (masked) Santa will be available for children to visit and pose for pictures with in the Winter Wonderland area Friday through Sunday nights in November and every night from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23, but otherwise, Glowfari is not a specifically Christmas-oriented event.

“We want to make sure everyone felt really welcomed.” 

There was no Christmas music playing, but the playlist piped throughout the park definitely had a theme: Beside “Blinding Lights,” it included Journey’s “Lights” (obviously), “Flashing Lights” by Kanye West, “Everlasting Light” by the Black Keys and Manfred Mann’s “Blinded by the Light.”

Marilyn Morrish, a 20-year zoo volunteer from Walnut Creek, had been watching lanterns as they were installed for this year’s Glowfari.

“It’s impressive in the daytime, but at night, it’s breathtaking.” 

Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari: A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival is open daily from 5-10 p.m., with the last timed ticket entry at 8:30 p.m., through Jan. 30. The zoo will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Unvaccinated guests are required to wear masks in the park. Advance timed tickets, $20-$24, are required and are available at https://www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/glowfari .

This story was first published on LocalNewsMatters.org , an affiliated nonprofit site supported by Bay City News Foundation. 

Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. © 2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

Share this post:

What's next

Albany police search for missing 78-year-old man.

Police in Albany are asking the public’s help in locating a missing man who is considered at-risk. John Halderman,...

In honor of Ruby Bridges, state senator to join students’ walk to school

State Sen. Josh Becker will join South San Francisco elementary students Wednesday for the first Ruby Bridges Walk to...

First leaders selected to head new Los Vaqueros Reservoir Joint Powers Authority

The first leaders were selected to head the new Los Vaqueros Reservoir Joint Powers Authority as it oversees the...

Comments are closed.

Support our work!

Ensure the future of local Bay Area News by becoming a Local News Matters member today.

Thanks for your contribution!

Sign up for our free newsletters!

Receive in-depth news stories and arts & entertainment coverage from around the Bay Area in your inbox.

• Weekly News The region’s top news headlines, delivered Mondays
• Arts & Entertainment The best of weekend arts and culture, delivered Thursdays

Local News Matters

Connecting audiences with quality, local news

Oakland Zoo’s illuminating Glowfari brightens up the end of a dreary year

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Two-year-old Avery squealed with delight as she stepped on a tile of an outdoor disco floor at Oakland Zoo’s  Glowfari: A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival , which changed from white to blue, then purple, then red.  

Toddlers, preteens and adults alike amused themselves hopping and dancing on the board game-like light-up path — which called to mind the sidewalk in Michael Jackson’s “ Billie Jean ” video — while, appropriately enough, The Weeknd’s ’80s-influenced “Blinding Lights” chimed and pulsed in the background. Nearby, kids crammed into circular swings that emitted a softer glow and changed colors like giant plastic mood rings. 

That was only one corner of Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari holiday extravaganza, and that’s not to mention the hundreds of lantern sculptures throughout the zoo shaped like all manner of life-size and oversize flora and fauna that might flutter wings or bob heads when you least expected it. The intricate hand-painted paper, lit by LED lights, gave the lanterns the dazzling effect of stained-glass windows. 

Thursday night was the special preview of the festival, which opens to the public on Friday and runs through Jan. 30, for Oakland Zoo volunteers and employees. Maureen Mitchell of Alameda, who brought Avery and her mom, Sarah Johnson, also from Alameda, said she returned Glowfari after first attending last year’s event. 

“I like how kid-friendly it is, but adults also have fun,” Mitchell said. “It brings out their inner child.” 

A psychedelic wall of luminescent vines, fluttering butterflies and large 3-D flowers, whose petals moved in hypnotic, come-hither motions, greeted visitors. In the meadow, glowing cheetahs appeared to be frozen mid-leap attacking a zebra, while a hippo was caught yawning, revealing his big pink mouth. An oversized peacock suddenly lifted his tail feathers and displayed his train, putting on a light show worthy of Las Vegas, while little kids exploring the festival stared, their mouths agape. Lantern elephants curled and uncurled their trunks in a surprisingly natural way. 

“It’s unique. You’re here at the zoo, and you can’t see the animals, but you can see all these fake animals,” Mitchell said brightly.  

When you walked deeper into the zoo, however, the smell of dung didn’t let you forget that living animals call the park their home. A real eland — a type of antelope found in East and South Africa — lurked in the shadows of its enclosure across the way from a spectacular giant porcupine with radiant gold-and-white striped quills. 

The Oakland Zoo animal care department works hard to make sure the lanterns, and the music coming out of the sound system, won’t disturb the zoo animals, explained Erin Harrison, vice president of marketing and communications for the zoo.  

“We’re really careful about where we place lanterns,” she said. “We are not going to put a predator lantern anywhere near our giraffe habitat, because during the daytime the giraffes are going to see it, and they could get upset. And we make sure all the animals get settled in indoors for the night before we turn on the lights and start the show.” 

The eland, however, is one of the few creatures given a choice about whether he wants to be indoors or outside during Glowfari. “So we do testing for a couple weeks before with the animal care, where we see like, ‘Are they reacting; are they OK with it?’,” Harrison said. The eland were “one of the very few livestock sort of animals that are OK with it. He was the only one that stayed out. The other eland were like, ‘No, we’re going in for the night.’ But he stayed out, which was cute.” 

Elsewhere, glowing lanterns in the forms of monkeys, birds, squirrels and cicadas clung to real trees. Acorns were projected on to the walkway, and besides the myriad 3-D light sculptures, LED string lights were shaped into 2-D landscapes of animals and trees. Visitors who rode the gondola up to California Trail arrived in a strange land of oversize bugs and flowers. It would almost be creepy if the beasts weren’t lit up so cheerfully. 

The lanterns were created by the one of the event’s partners, the Chinese company Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc. Harrison said the zoo staff collaborates with Tianyu on choosing the animals and diorama designs for Glowfari. Once the lanterns have been fabricated in China, Tianyu ships at least 16 containers worth of sculptures to Oakland in October and sends a staff to live here for a few months to erect the lanterns and maintain them throughout Glowfari’s run.  

“That was a challenge in and of itself, getting it here, as you can probably guess with all the shipping craziness,” Harrison said. She estimates about three containers-worth of lanterns were repurposed from last year’s Glowfari for this year’s event, whereas 13 containers-worth were completely new. At the end of the event, the lanterns are packed up and stored at a Northern California warehouse, so Tianyu can use them at other zoos, botanical gardens and lantern festivals, which have grown in popularity in the United States in the last few years. 

“This year, they added a lot more animatronic pieces,” Harrison said, noting she was particularly impressed with the elephant trunks. “It’s amazing what they can do. What I love is you can barely see the mechanism inside the lantern, even though they’re so thin. 

“We love changing it up and bringing in new lanterns every year,” she continued. “So it’s still Glowfari, but it’s like a new experience.” 

Glowfari debuted at the zoo in fall 2020. Prior to that, Oakland Zoo had been known for its holiday-season event, ZooLights, which featured metal structures in the shapes of animals and holiday themes adorned with Christmas-type light bulbs. When Harrison saw Tianyu’s lanterns at a zoo conference, she said she was ready for Oakland Zoo to try something different. 

“I’m like, ‘This is fantastic. We’ve been doing ZooLights for like, 25 years,'” she said. “And in my opinion, it was tired, it had been done and I wanted something fresh and new and exciting.” Initially, Harrison received pushback for breaking with tradition, but eventually, she got the green light to try it for 2020. “The zoo is evolving, and our events need to evolve, too,” she said. 

But no one saw COVID coming — Harrison said Glowfari had been in the works a year before the pandemic struck. And COVID visa restrictions in fall 2020 prevented most of Tianyu’s staff from traveling to Oakland to install the most complicated interactive pieces; so Oakland Zoo had to hire local engineers to help erect the lanterns that year. 

When it opened on Nov. 20, 2020, Glowfari was so popular for Bay Area residents anxious to leave their homes, it sold out through December. But another COVID wave prompted a lockdown that forced the zoo to close from Dec. 7, 2020, all the way to Feb. 5, 2021. 

“We were thinking by that time people would be over doing something for the holidays,” Harrison said. “But no, we actually had to extend it up until Daylight Savings Time because of the demand, just to make sure we didn’t have to turn people away. Because clearly everybody needed to have some fun at the time.” 

Because Glowfari was such a hit, Oakland Zoo brought it back for fall 2021. This year and last, the zoo worked with Tianyu to make sure the lantern-filled landscapes were not only amusing and delightful, but educational about conservation efforts. Placed throughout the exhibition are signs with the stories of the animals depicted, like California condors, gray wolves, African elephants and polar bears, and their challenges surviving in the wild as the climate changes. 

For example, dozens of lantern pandas filled a massive 3-D forest of fake bamboo. Molly Diamond of Sunnyvale, a volunteer who works with goats and in the zoo’s commissary, was admiring the scene with her boyfriend, Chris McCreddin, also of Sunnyvale, at Thursday’s event. “We love it,” Diamond said. “It’s so magical. It’s cool that everything is different this year.” 

Diamond and McCreddin started dating during the pandemic, and coming to the first Glowfari in 2020 was their first outing as a couple. McCreddin said that after being cooped up for months, visiting the attraction was a real treat. “I was like ‘Yay, finally something to do!’,” he said. 

The zoo is requiring online reservations and staggering entry times to keep visitors as safe as possible during the ongoing COVID pandemic. Unvaccinated guests are required to wear masks, while vaccinated guests are free to remove them outdoors. This year, rides like the train, gondola and carousel are open.  

A (masked) Santa will be available for children to visit and pose for pictures with in the Winter Wonderland area Fridays, Saturday and Sundays nights in November and every night from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23, but otherwise, Glowfari is not a specifically Christmas-oriented event. “We want to make sure everyone felt really welcomed,” Harrison said.  

There was no Christmas music playing, but the playlist piped throughout the park definitely had a theme: Beside “Blinding Lights,” it included Journey’s “Lights” (obviously), “Flashing Lights” by Kanye West, “Everlasting Light” by the Black Keys and Manfred Mann’s “Blinded by the Light.” 

Marilyn Morrish, a 20-year zoo volunteer from Walnut Creek, had been watching lanterns for this year’s Glowfari as they were being installed. “It’s impressive in the daytime, but at night, it’s breathtaking,” she said. 

Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari: A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival is open daily from 5-10 p.m., with the last timed ticket entry at 8:30 p.m., through Jan. 30. The zoo will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Unvaccinated guest are required to wear masks in the park. Advance timed tickets, $20-$24, are required and are available at https://www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/glowfari .

Subscribe to our weekly arts & culture newsletter

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

We've recently sent you an authentication link. Please, check your inbox!

Sign in with a password below, or sign in using your email .

Get a code sent to your email to sign in, or sign in using a password .

Enter the code you received via email to sign in, or sign in using a password .

Subscribe to our newsletters:

Sign in with your email

Lost your password?

Try a different email

Send another code

Sign in with a password

Terms & Conditions

On Sale Now: Glowfari Lantern Festival at the Oakland Zoo

• November 1, 2023
• by Annie Reid

Glowfari offers hundreds of gigantic, larger-than-life, glowing Chinese lanterns set up throughout the Oakland Zoo to thrill your family. It runs from November 10, 2023, through January 28, 2024. Advance ticket purchase is required. Tickets will be offered on a rolling basis 28 days in advance. 

Walk the zoo grounds after hours with cool light-up sculptures at Glowfari

This family-friendly nighttime installation features hundreds of larger-than-life animal ‘lanterns’. These special lanterns are not what you might take camping, they are art structures created out of delicate paper illuminated from within. Lit-up animal sculptures will be placed throughout the Zoo. If your family is like mine, you will alternate between squeals of joy and stunned silence.

Visitors walk about a mile through these very large illuminated and dazzling lanterns – from the ice-capped 15-foot tall penguin corridor to the breathtaking full-size elephants, giraffes, and lions – to the enormous, jellyfish arch floating against the star-filled night sky. Ride the lit-up gondola to visit California Trail – where undersea enchantments will wow even sullen teens (maybe).

Santa Claus will be there, too!

Visit Santa in the Rides Area Fridays – Sundays in November and every night December 1-23 from 6 to 9 pm (line closes at 8:45 pm). Please note, Santa’s hours are subject to change and he may have to head back to the North Pole if it gets too wet.

Pro Tips about Exploring Glowfari with Kids

Bundle Up! It’s chilly up there at night and you don’t want the cold to ruin your good time. This is the moment in the Bay Area to break out your coziest scarf and winter coat for the kids. A thermos of hot cocoa in the car for when you’re done is good, too.

Go to the left once you enter. Starting in the ocean world and winding your way through everything else felt like the best path vs. going the other way. It literally feels like each corner you turn is a magic new world opening for you.

Save the gondola ride for last. The view is breathtaking, and the surprise “world” at the top is so epic it is a good finale to a really fun evening with the kids. Probably seals an early bedtime too 😉

Enjoy the interactivity! All of it is designed touchless – photo ops, stepping on things to cause a reaction makes for fun interactivity without needing to touch anything.

*Bonus tip: Order pizza in the parking lot. Order a hot pizza so it is delivered as soon as you get home so you have a hot meal waiting for your hungry family after all that fun.

Plan your visit to Glowfari. It is a separate event not included in regular Zoo membership.

Dates for Glowfari: From 5 pm to 9 pm on Nov. 10 through Jan. 28. Prices for Glowfari: $26 adults | $22 children & seniors (2-14 & 65-75) | Children under 2 and adults over 76: Free (members save 10% or can look out for member deal days) | Parking is FREE.

Advance ticket purchase is required. Tickets on sale as of November 1 .

[photos by Annie Reid and Tianyu Arts & Culture as noted]

ZooLights is a separate event and is not included in regular Zoo membership.

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Filed Under: Grade Schoolers , Kids , Oakland , Outdoors , Preschoolers , Tweens

Get the {510} Families weekend planner in your inbox. It's free!

2 thoughts on “on sale now: glowfari lantern festival at the oakland zoo”.

Qué pasa si llego antes de la hora de mi ticket, puedo entrar antes?

Hi Elva, no you can enter before your time slot. Also, the Zoo is in a different mode – all the daytime visitors have left, most of the animals have been put away out of sight. When you enter for Glowfari, you will just be seeing the lights.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

What is 510Families?

510Families.com is the best website for parents in Alameda, Berkeley, and Oakland to find kid-friendly activities every day.

Packed with drop-in classes, free storytimes, and seasonal festivals, our events calendar will help you plan your weekend — and your summer vacation . Daily articles and a weekend planner help you find what’s fun and free when you need it.

With acknowledgment that the region we celebrate is the unceded territory of native peoples , our mission is to share activities for East Bay families.

Resources for New and Expectant Parents

• Birth and Baby Guide to the East Bay
• Where Moms Can Meet Each Other
• Baby Classes
• How to Get a Workout with Baby in Tow
• Mommy & Me Classes

Recent Posts

Copyright © 2010 – 2024 by 510 FAMILIES INC contact | RSS | privacy policy | giveaway policy | native land acknowledgment

• Art & Music
• Birthday Parties
• Free & Cheap
• Parks & Playgrounds
• Preschoolers
• Grade Schoolers
• Pregnancy & Maternity
• Albany & El Cerrito
• Hayward & San Leandro
• In the {925}
• San Francisco
• Private Schools
• East Bay Charter Schools
• East Bay Preschools
• After-School Classes
• Birth and Baby Resources
• 23 Things to Do With a Baby
• Classes for Toddlers & Babies
• Places to Play Outside (Little Kid)
• Kid-friendly Restaurants
• Free Museums
• 44 Best Activities for Teens
• Bay Area Fruit Picking
• East Bay Farmers Markets
• Home Delivery & Services
• Weekend Planner
• East Bay Summer Day Camps
• Nor Cal Overnight Camps
• Submit a Tip or Event

Jump to navigation

• Music for Families
• U-Pick Fruit Guide
• Zoos & Aquariums
• Fairs & Festivals
• Parks & Playgrounds
• Dance & Ballet
• Sports & Fitness
• Belvedere & Tiburon
• Kentfield, Greenbrae & Ross
• Larkspur & Corte Madera
• Mill Valley
• San Anselmo
• Sausalito & Marin City
• Preschoolers
• Grade Schoolers
• Marin Preschool Guide
• Marin Private School Guide
• Marin Summer Survival Guide
• Health & Wellness
• Marin Baby Guide
• Food & Cooking
• Birthday Parties
• Farmers Market Marin
• Kids Eat for Free in Marin
• Classes for Kids
• Indoor Play
• Point Reyes
• Wine Country
• Summer Camps

Glowfari Lights Up the Night at the Oakland Zoo

November 16, 2023

The Oakland Zoo is the place to be this holiday season for the return of Glowfari , a family-friendly outdoor experience that features hundreds of giant, glowing, LED-illuminated animal lanterns throughout the zoo. We had a chance to check out this year's Glowfari last weekend, and it was an amazing, magical, nighttime experience that everyone in the family will enjoy! It's also totally different than previous years' versions, with all-new lanterns depicting denizens of the Bayou, the arctic, the deep ocean, North America's forests, Madagascar, and more. Glowfari is open now and on view through January 28, 2024.

Enter the zoo and take a mile-long walk through an array of dazzling illuminated lanterns depicting plants and animals ranging from life-size alligators, sharks, and bison to larger-than-life birds, insects, and fish. Many of the lanterns are animated too, moving realistically and changing color as you watch.

Make sure you board one of the zoo's lighted gondolas to travel up the hill behind the zoo to visit the California Trail area, where you can explore the underwater world of the Arctic, with animals like polar bears and caribou. The nighttime ride up on the gondola is always a thrill, and the views of the lights of Oakland and the entire Bay Area are unforgettable, too.

Our favorite part of Glowfari was the Bayou section, which features a wide variety of swamp dwelling animals. Walk into the mouth of a huge, larger than life alligator, swing on lighted LED swings, play games and more. The glowing, moving "fireflies" are really amazing and create an incredible visible impression. Make sure you walk up the hill through the giant illuminated tunnel for amazing views of this magical glowing world.

On your way out, head to the Adventure Landing rides area, where you can board the zoo's Outback Express train and experience the wildlife of the island of Madagascar. Santa Claus himself will be there for visits during the month of November and December 1–23 from 6 to 9:30 pm.

Glowfari is really an incredible experience, and you'll find new and more wonderful surprises around every corner. We had a great time exploring the zoo at night and marveling at all the colorful and brilliant lanterns. It's a highly recommended holiday experience for everyone in the family! To learn more about Glowfari and the Oakland Zoo and to reserve your tickets, visit www.oaklandzoo.org .

Glowfari at the Oakland Zoo is open now through January 28, 2024. Glowfari takes place in the evenings from 5–9 pm.

Timed and dated tickets are required and cost $26 for adults 15–64 and $22 for children 2–14 and seniors 65–75. Admission is free for children under 2 and seniors over 76 (tickets are still required). Oakland Zoo members receive a 10% discount. Parking is included. Tickets will go on sale on a rolling basis 28 days before the entry date. Advance tickets are required for all visitors. Order your tickets online .

Glowfari takes place entirely outside, so make sure you dress warmly and wear good walking shoes. Strollers, wheelchairs, and electric mobility scooters are available for rent. The zoo's restaurants, snack spots, and gift shop will be open during Glowfari. Zoo animals will not be on view during Glowfari.

The Oakland Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road in Oakland 94605. To get there from Marin, take Highway 101 to Highway 580 in San Rafael and head east over the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge. Follow 580 through the MacArthur Maze to Oakland and follow the signs for 580 East Downtown Oakland/Hayward/Stockton. Continue on 580 until you reach the Golf Links Road exit (Exit 29A). Turn left onto Golf Links Road and then right into the Oakland Zoo and follow the road to the parking area.

Related Articles

Marin Weekend Family Fun for May 17–19

May 16, 2024.

Osher Marin JCC Preschools and Early Childhood Education Center - San Rafael & Mill Valley

May 15, 2024.

Splash, Slide, and Swim at the Hamilton Community Pool in Novato

Stay Cool this Summer at the Spring Lake Water Park

May 13, 2024, events calendar, sign up for tips & news for marin families.

Sponsors Promote your business here

Beautiful Brown Adventures - Families of Color Travel Inspiration and Tips

8 Tips for Visiting Glowfari with Kids at the Oakland Zoo this Winter Season

Glowfari is a mile-long beautiful, artistic expression of wildly illuminating lanterns craftly placed throughout the Oakland Zoo that brings a night-time light show experience for all to enjoy during select evenings between November and January. Our family had a magical time! We especially loved the lit lanterns–they had such exquisite details and were larger than life. Our family talked about the colors, shapes, and textures, and how we wish we could stay there forever!

Tickets are now on sale for Glowfari 2023-24 and are available for purchase 28 days in advance beginning at 9 a.m. each day, with entrance times available at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. Check out our review below and top tips to make the most of your visit.

Huchiun (also known as the East Bay Area) is the stolen and occupied land of the Lisjan Ohlone people.

What's new for glowfari 2023-24.

Great winter outdoor activity for all ages, including adult date-nights.

Glowfari looks a little different every year, which makes it  an exciting winter tradition to enjoy year after year.  We overheard one adult say about Glowfari, “It’s like Burning Man, for kids,” and we can see why—the huge artistic sculptures and glow-in-the-dark everythings make for a one-of-a-kind experience.  

New exhibits this year include The Bayou, Deep Sea, and The Arctic in the upper section of the zoo. Our kids especially loved the playground area where they jumped on light-up paths, swung on the glowing swings, danced in the kaleidoscope room, and made fun imprints on the pinscreens.

Before you go

• Reserve your tickets in advance; timed reservations are required and tickets have sold out previously. See our tips for buying tickets below.
• Plan ahead by checking the  weather, traffic, etc.
• Feed your family an early dinner or pack food and warm beverages to enjoy on the grounds.
• Talk to your kids about safety in advance; have a plan in case someone gets separated from the group (see tips below).

Want to hear more about visiting the Oakland Zoo in the daytime? Check out our guide to the Oakland Zoo!

What we packed

• Standard diaper bag essentials
• Layers of warm clothing (jackets, beanies, gloves, sweaters, masks)
• Light-up shoes + light-up necklaces for the kids and adults
• Snacks, dinner, drinks, and treats (a thermos of hot cocoa is clutch!)
• Stroller, wagon, or baby carrier
• Noise-cancelling headphones if anyone in your party is sensitive to noise

Tips & tricks to get the most out of your trip

1. Buy tickets early, and for early slots

We recommend you purchase tickets for the 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. entry times.

This allows you ample time to stroll through the exhibits, ride the gondola before the line closes at 7:45 p.m. (see tips below), and still get home at a decent hour. 

The zoo is open until 9 p.m. for Glowfari. Weekdays are often less crowded, but with the holiday season upon us it can be a bit of a toss-up regardless of what day of the week you go.

2. Arrive early

Parking is free during Glowfari. It’s less stressful to park closer to the entrance rather than walking through a dark parking lot with littles. If you arrive early, you have a greater chance of parking where you want.

There might be such a thing as arriving too early; for some reason the upper parking lot was closed when we arrived at 5:15 p.m., so we were routed by staff to the lower parking lot. Once we noticed that cars were being led to the upper parking lot, we hopped back in the car to repark closer to the zoo entrance.

3. Dress the part

Not only should you dress in layers to keep warm during the chilly winter evenings, but dress your kids in light-up shoes, glow sticks, and anything that can make them glow in the dark! We used light-up necklaces from Halloween and some cool Paw Patrol shoes.

Don’t forget to also  wear good walking shoes and pack light . Walking the entirety of the zoo can be over one mile long lined with beautiful lanterns that light up the pathways, and you don’t want to be lugging around any unnecessary baggage.

4. Bring a stroller or a wagon

Yes, even if you think your children will walk the entire time, chances are their little legs will get extra sleepy towards the end. Walking uphill carrying a sleeping toddler in the darkness is just not as much fun as rolling them in a stroller.

5. Talk to your kids about safety in advance

Plan out and discuss what to do if someone gets lost. Again–it’s super dark and crowded so it’s always a good idea to have an emergency plan in place! My elementary schooler knows to find an adult and tell them her parents’ full names so they can contact security immediately. ID bracelets are a good idea, too!

6. Visit The Bayou first

For the most part, we recommend visiting in the lower part of the zoo first, since that requires the most walking. The lower level of the zoo has an incredible Bayou experience filled with a wide variety of lit-up swampland animals. Walk through a larger-than-life crocodile, see the fireflies dance through the evening sky, and enjoy a special playground area. 

Our kids happily spent at least half an hour jumping on the light-up stepping stones, swinging together on the swingsets, dancing in a kaleidoscope room, and playing whack-a-mole and making imprints on the pinscreens. It can be a crowded and intense sensory experience, but really fun!

7. Take the Gondola up to visit The Arctic

Save the Gondola ride (free with admission) up the hill for the end so the children can wind down after a fun night of walking. Our only exception to this would be if you are visiting in the latter part of January, when the sun sets a little later and gives you a greater chance of catching a ride during golden hour—it’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity in Oakland, and you’ll see beautiful Bay views on the ride. You might even be able to see the bison in the upper part of the zoo before the sun sets!

In any case, it’s a magical experience riding the gondola in the dark and taking in the city lights—this was our kids’ favorite part of the night. It was super exciting and they were so brave!

Note that the Gondola line from the lower part of the zoo closes at about 7:45 p.m., so try to be in line by 7:30 p.m. at the latest.

Once you get to the top of the hill you literally walk into a world full of Arctic animals, such as narwhals, polar bears, and wolves.

The last ride down the Gondola is scheduled for 8 p.m., but it’s more a suggestion rather than a hard-and-fast rule. I’m sure the zoo staff would appreciate closing up early, but they also assured us that they wouldn’t leave us stranded up there if we weren’t on the Gondola exactly at 8 p.m.!

8. Finish off the night at Adventure Landing with Santa and a train ride

After completing the formal Glowfari experience, you can opt to visit the Adventure Landing area outside of the zoo exit. Adventure Landing features a carousel and other rides for which you can purchase tickets (~$3 per ride) at a kiosk. The kids can ride the Outback Express Train (free with Glowfari admission) which travels through the Winter Wonderland. There is also an option to visit Santa (free) during the entire month of December. 

Glowfari is such a fun family experience that appeals to the whimsical inner child as much as the excited children tugging on your legs saying hurry up let’s gooooo! Hopefully the super-charged and stimulating event will tire everyone out so that you can all enjoy a peaceful night of sleep with thoughts of magical animal lanterns filling your dreams.

We also loved the diverse array of families and age groups enjoying the exhibits. There were numerous families of color in attendance when we visited on a December weekday, and we hope that Glowfari’s attendance is a good representation of the diversity of Oakland and the surrounding East Bay. We even brought our kids’ grandparents along and they had just as much fun as the littles!

Overall it was a wonderful experience and worth every penny. We certainly will be adding this event to our annual rotation!

Let us know about your own family’s Glowfari experience in the comments below.

Check us out on Pinterest!

Pricilla H.

You might also enjoy.

2 thoughts on “ 8 Tips for Visiting Glowfari with Kids at the Oakland Zoo this Winter Season ”

Thank you for the input about Glowfari! We are going tonight. It helps to know what possibly to expect. My kids are very excited!

So glad you found it useful and hope you all had an awesome time!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

DIY Travel Scavenger Hunt

Add an element of play to your next family adventure with a printable kid-friendly scavenger hunt. 

want more adventure?

This is just the beginning.

Join our growing community of families of color who travel, hike, camp, and bike with their little kids. Sign up for our mailing list to get some family travel inspiration in your inbox.

• Top Picks of the Week
• San Francisco Calendar
• East Bay Calendar
• Bay Area Calendar
• – North Bay Events
• – South Bay Events
• – Peninsula Events
• Free Museum Days

“Glowfari” 2023 Lights Festival at Oakland Zoo (Nov. 10-Jan. 28)

Event details.

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Glowfari returns in November 2023! This wildly popular, family-friendly experience is back with hundreds of ALL new, larger-than-life animal lanterns throughout the Zoo. Each lantern tells the story of the ongoing journey of wildlife, the importance of every species on our planet, and Oakland Zoo’s commitment to conservation.

November 10-12, 15-22, 24-26, 29-30, 2023 | December 1-23, 26-31, 2023 | January 1-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, 2024 All Ages | 5:00pm – 9:00pm Adults: $26 Children (2-14)/Seniors (65-75): $22 Members: 10% discount Under 2 and 76 and over: Free Parking: Free

This year’s experience features new themes including the forests of North America with iconic native wildlife like mountain lions and wolves, our frosty friends of the Arctic with puffins and polar bears, the Deep Ocean featuring rarely seen sea creatures, and a stroll through the swamp as you encounter alligators and other animals of the Bayou!

Finish your experience with a ride on the train through the great red island of Madagascar, a wondrous world full of lemurs, chameleons, and other unique flora and fauna!

Don’t forget to visit Santa in the Rides Area Fridays – Sundays in November and every night December 1-23 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm (line closes at 8:45pm). Please note, Santa’s hours are subject to change and he may have to head back to the North Pole if it gets too wet.

Tickets go on sale November 1, 2023 at 9:00am! Tickets have typically sold out in the past, so purchase your tickets early.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.

Most Popular Upcoming Events

• Bay to Breakers 2024 (Everything You Need to Know)
• The Bay’s Huge “626 Night Market” w/ 200+ Food & Shopping Stalls (May 17-19)
• SF’s “Sundown Cinema” ’24 Season Kickoff: Movie Night in the Park (May 17-Oct. 18)
• SF’s “Ube Festival” Returns
• 2024 San Francisco Carnaval Grand Parade
• The Himalayan Fair 2024 in Berkeley (May 18-19)
• Oakland Greek Festival 2024 (May 17-19)
• SF’s Filipino “Tagalog Fest” at Kapwa Gardens (2024)
• Golden State Valkyries Block Party: SF’s New WNBA Team (Thrive City)

Sign Up For Funcheap Emails

Most popular city guides.

• New SF Park with 360° Views Just Opened
• Stern Grove Festival 2024 Lineup & RSVP Info Just Announced
• SF Mall Poised to Become New Neighborhood w/ Parks & Housing
• Free Monthly Museum Days
• New Golden State WNBA Team Unveils Name
• How to Get the NY Times for Free (Updated for 2024)
• San Francisco’s May Festivals & Street Fairs
• 8 New Pop-Ups Opening in SF’s Empty Storefronts
• SF’s “Chinatown Night Market” Returns for 2024
• Live Nation’s 2024 “Concert Week”: Get $25 All-In Tickets (May 8-14)

• About Funcheap
• Jobs & Internships
• Terms of Service
• DMCA Requests
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Privacy Policy

Oakland Zoo Reaches New Heights with Addition of 6th Giraffe

Oakland, CA, May 9, 2024… A new male giraffe is adapting to his home at Oakland Zoo after traveling from Audubon Nature Institute in Louisiana. He traveled in a specially designed carrier for giraffes, which accommodated his approximately 10-foot height and gave him enough room during his journey. The 13-month-old giraffe was brought to the Zoo upon recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP).  These plans help ensure the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied AZA population.

The Animal Care team at Oakland Zoo has been working hard to ensure the behind-the-scenes area is comfortable for the new arrival, keeping his overall wellbeing in mind. Providing different options of enrichment, bedding, and tree browse gives the keepers a better understanding of his preferences and allows the giraffe to choose how he would like to interact with his new environment. While exploring his space, he discovered a bamboo wind chime made by his keepers and has since become enamored.

"He is a brave and bold giraffe who's adjusting quite well. We're thrilled to get to know him and watch him develop a bond with his new herd at the Zoo," says Amy Phelps, Oakland Zoo's Zoological Manager.

While he adjusts to his new home, he will have the opportunity to start getting to know his herd mates through sound, smell, and sight (through a fenceline). When his Animal and Veterinary Care teams determine he is ready, he will move to the giraffe habitat at the Zoo’s African Savanna area.

Giraffes are highly social animals and maintain relationships with many individuals in their natural habitats. The addition of another giraffe helps provide a more robust social structure to the giraffe herd at Oakland Zoo, bringing the total number of giraffes to six. It is common for giraffes to live in groups of varied ages—the Zoo has giraffes ages one to 12. Kendi, a female giraffe, was born just last year at the Zoo. Having two giraffes close in age will provide a different dynamic to the herd.

The Zoo’s reticulated giraffes serve as ambassadors to their wild counterparts. Reticulated giraffe populations have experienced a 50% decline in the past three and a half decades due to illegal wildlife trade and habitat loss, which has led to their endangered status on the IUCN Red List.

Oakland Zoo supports The Reticulated Giraffe Project , which investigates reticulated giraffes’ behavioral ecology and population processes to inform conservation and management efforts. The Zoo supports the project by raising awareness, sending staff to Africa, and fundraising events like Brunch for the Wild Bunch . Visit the Zoo’s website to learn more about how Oakland Zoo is Taking Action for giraffes.

Naming Contest Invitation:

The Zoo is welcoming its followers online to help choose the new giraffe male’s name. They will open a polling contest on all their social media channels later today (Thursday, May 9). His Animal Care staff have chosen three Swahili names (the language spoken in the reticulated giraffe’s native region):

Enzi (meaning powerful) - pronounced En- see

Nuru (meaning the light) - pronounced Noo-roo

Kovu (meaning scar) - pronounced Koh-Voo

To vote on your favorite name, please visit the Zoo’s Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter . The winning name will be announced on social media on Monday, May 13.

Isabella Linares

Oakland Zoo

[email protected]

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO AND THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY OF CALIFORNIA:

Oakland Zoo, home to more than 850 native and exotic animals, is managed by the Conservation Society of California (CSC); a non-profit organization leading an informed and inspired community in Taking Action for Wildlife locally and globally. With over 25 conservation partners and projects worldwide, the CSC is committed to conservation-based education and saving species and their habitats in the wild. Oakland Zoo is dedicated to the humane treatment of animals. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the national organization that sets the highest standards for animal welfare for zoos and aquariums.

Oakland Zoo (510) 632-9525

Mail: P.O. Box 5238 Oakland, CA 94605 Visit: 9777 Golf Links Road Oakland, CA 94605

© 2024 Oakland Zoo. All rights reserved.

• Live In The D
• Newsletters

Lifelike dinosaurs, hands-on fossil dig sites, and more come to Detroit Zoo this summer

Dinosaur attraction open from may 25 to sept. 8.

Kayla Clarke , Senior Web Producer

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – A dinosaur attraction is returning to the Detroit Zoo this summer for the first time since 2022.

The Dinosauria attraction returns to the Detroit Zoo from May 25 to Sept. 8. The experience takes guests along a winding trail throughout the zoo.

Dinosauria includes more than 25 lifelike, animatronic dinosaurs, and includes multiple hands-on fossil dig sites, dinosaur-themed gifts, and more.

“ Dinosauria is roaring back for the first time since 2022, and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Emily O’Hara, senior manager of guest experience design. “Come see dinos from different eras show off their infamous traits as they face off along the trail. With fun for the whole family, Dinosauria is a can’t-miss addition to your next Detroit Zoo visit.”

Dinosauria is open during regular zoo hours. Entry to Dinosauria costs $6 per person in addition to zoo admission.

Guests with a Detroit Zoo membership can get a Dino Pass for $45, which offers unlimited admission to Dinosauria. The price increases to $60 on June 1.

Learn more about the event at detroitzoo.org .

Copyright 2024 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Kayla clarke.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines.

Recommended Videos

Renovations in honour of the zoo's 150th anniversary are ongoing, but the place should be in great shape in coming years. Huge flocks of feathered friends populate the central ponds, making for a pleasant stroll for birdwatchers. For a new perspective on Moscow’s nightlife, check out the nocturnal animal exhibit. Other highlights include the big cats (featuring Siberian tigers) and the polar bears. For more four-legged fun, follow the footbridge to see exhibits featuring animals from each continent.

Bolshaya Gruzinskaya ul 1

Get In Touch

https://​www​.moscowzoo​.ru​​/

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

The Armoury dates to 1511, when it was founded under Vasily III to manufacture and store weapons, imperial arms and regalia for the royal court. Later it…

Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

This is Moscow’s premier foreign-art museum, split over three branches and showing off a broad selection of European works, including masterpieces from…

St Basil's Cathedral

At the southern end of Red Square stands the icon of Russia: St Basil’s Cathedral. This crazy confusion of colours, patterns and shapes is the culmination…

Moscow Kremlin

The apex of Russian political power and once the centre of the Orthodox Church, the Kremlin is the kernel of not only Moscow, but of the whole country…

Lenin's Mausoleum

Although Vladimir Ilych requested that he be buried beside his mum in St Petersburg, he still lies in state at the foot of the Kremlin wall, receiving…

Moscow's main city escape isn't your conventional expanse of nature preserved inside an urban jungle. It's not a fun fair either, though it used to be one…

Immediately outside the Kremlin’s northeastern wall is the celebrated Red Square, the 400m-by-150m area of cobblestones that is at the very heart of…

State Tretyakov Gallery Main Branch

The exotic boyar (high-ranking noble) castle on a little lane in Zamoskvorechie contains the main branch of the State Tretyakov Gallery, housing the world…

Nearby Presnya attractions

1 . Tsereteli Studio-Museum

Moscow’s most prolific artist has opened up his ‘studio’ as a space to exhibit his many masterpieces. You can’t miss this place – whimsical characters…

2 . Moscow Planetarium

The planetarium has become one of the biggest and brightest stars on the Moscow museum circuit, now incorporating all kinds of high-tech gadgetry,…

3 . Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

This neo-Gothic cathedral is the biggest Catholic church in Russia. Its construction was completed in 1917, but its history is one of turmoil: during…

4 . Kudrinskaya Apartment Block

The 160m, 22-storey Stalinist skyscraper at Kudrinskaya pl contains elite apartments, mostly occupied by pre-eminent cultural figures during Soviet times.

5 . Chekhov House-Museum

‘The colour of the house is liberal, ie red', playwright Anton Chekhov wrote of his house on the Garden Ring, where he lived from 1886 to 1890. The red…

6 . Narkomfin

The model for Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation design principle, this architectural landmark was an early experiment in semicommunal living. Designed…

7 . Central House of Writers (CDL)

The Central House of Writers is an elaborate art nouveau mansion dating to 1889. The historic mansion housed the administrative offices of the writers'…

8 . Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds hark back to Soviet days, when the parks were populated with children and babushky. Today you’ll see grandmothers pushing strollers and…