Lincoln Park Zoo Lights Presented by ComEd and Charter One

By Sharon Dewar

Chicago, IL - Lincoln Park Zoo transforms into a winter wonderland, lighting up the sky with more than 1.5 million shimmering lights during the fifteenth annual winter festival ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Charter One.

This free, holiday classic is one of Chicago’s must-see seasonal events. The festivities kick off Nov. 27 and continue every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Beginning Dec. 18 the event is offered nightly through Jan. 3 (excluding Dec. 24 – 25). The zoo is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with special ZooLights activities beginning at 5 p.m. The first 1,000 visitors each night receive a free pair of 3D glasses for a truly magical light display experience.

Not to be missed is the dazzling musical light show choreographed to holiday tunes on the zoo’s South Lawn. Also be sure to check out the “arctic artists” as they carve incredible sculptures out of massive blocks of ice. Stay warm by sipping spiced wine or hot chocolate and head over to the Kovler Lion House for a visit with Santa through Dec. 23. Once Santa departs to spread holiday cheer around the world, the Lion House will host live musical entertainment from Dec. 26 – Jan. 3.

Swing like a monkey over to the Helen Brach Primate House to make complimentary holiday crafts and get a temporary tattoo.

There will be plenty of ways to stay warm at the zoo, including taking an expedition to Africa. Meet giraffes, pygmy hippos,meerkats and more at Regenstein African Journey. Or duck into Regenstein Center for African Apes and warm up with gorillas and chimpanzees. Pick up some toasty tips about how to stay warm from polar bears, penguins and puffins.

Visitors can take home a piece of the magic to share with others from the zoo’s WildThings! store home to the “coolest” gifts this side of the North Pole.

Lincoln Park Zoo members can take advantage of the exclusive Member Lounge presented by the Chicago Sun-Times, home to hot holiday specialty drinks provided by Starbucks, cool crafts and fun nightly giveaways. This exclusive members-only retreat is open from 5 – 8 p.m. and takes place in the tadpole room beneath Park Place Café.

Lincoln Park Zoo is proud to announce that this year’s event is glowing a little bit greener with all animal and holiday-themed displays featuring LED bulbs which help lower the festival’s ecological footprint. On opening night, the first 500 people to visit the ComEd table will receive an energy efficient LED light strand for every strand of incandescent lights they turn in, up to two strands.

ZooLights is presented by ComEd and Charter One. The event is sponsored by CLEAR(TM), Pepsi, WBBM Newsradio 780, United Airlines and NBC 5.

ABOUT LINCOLN PARK ZOO

Lincoln Park Zoo, a historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, is dedicated to connecting people with nature by providing a free, family-oriented wildlife experience. A leader in conservation science both globally and locally, the zoo exemplifies the highest quality animal care and educational outreach. The not-for-profit zoo, managed by The Lincoln Park Zoological Society, is a member-supported organization and one of the nation’s only free, privately managed zoos. For more information, call 312 -742-2000 or visit www.lpzoo.org .

To view Lincoln Park Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-23-Lincoln_Park_Zoo