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The Oklahoma City Zoo reopens its holiday lights festival this weekend, returning longer nights of illuminated sculptures, fresh lantern installations and new visitor options. The display — which runs nightly and adds a 21-and-older holiday bar this season — offers families and adults several ways to take in the lights through early January.
The event continues through Jan. 3, 2027, and will be open each night from 5:30 to 11 p.m.. Zoo officials say the attraction combines expanded visual elements with live performances and both drive-through and walk-through access, giving guests more flexibility than in past years.
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Organizers highlight a set of newly commissioned lanterns and larger illuminated sculptures scattered across the grounds. The layout is intended to let groups choose how they move through the zoo — whether from the warmth of a car or on foot among the displays.
- Four viewing options: a drive-through route, a walk-through experience, a drive-through + walk-through combo ticket, and in-person admissions for the pedestrian displays.
- Evening performances: local community groups will take the stage on selected nights, adding live entertainment to the light displays.
- Adult-focused space: a Friday–Sunday Holiday Hideaway inside the children’s zoo reserved for guests 21 and older, serving specialty drinks and snacks.
- Awards recognition: the festival has been nominated in USA Today’s top zoo light display poll; the zoo invites patrons to vote via its website and social channels.
Jenna Dodson, the zoo’s director of events, described the lights as part of many families’ seasonal traditions and said the new lanterns were a major reason the team wanted to expand programming this year. She emphasized the combination of options — drive-through for convenience and walk-through for a closer look — as a deliberate way to accommodate different comfort levels and mobility needs.
Practical details for visitors
Most nights the displays are accessible from dusk until late evening, and the zoo is operating a flexible admission model so guests can select the experience that fits their group. The Holiday Hideaway is limited to patrons aged 21 and older and will be restricted to later weekend evenings.
Attending families should plan ahead for parking and peak crowds on weekend nights. The zoo’s communications recommend checking their website or social accounts for performance schedules and any updates to access routes or hours.
Because the festival is competing in a national poll, zoo staff are also asking visitors who enjoy the display to register their support online. Links to the voting page are posted on the Oklahoma City Zoo’s official site and social media feeds.
