PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

Make the holiday season merry and bright with an after-hours trip to the Detroit Zoo.

Celebrating its 10th consecutive year, Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo kicks off its season on Saturday, Nov. 19. Presented by Strategic Staffing Solutions, this annual event features millions of twinkling holiday lights across dozens of expertly designed displays throughout the Zoo. Dates and times for the Wild Lights 2022-2023 season are as follows:

• Nov. 19, 25-26 (5 to 10:30 p.m.)
• Nov. 20, 27 (5 to 9 p.m.)
• Dec. 2-3, 9-10, 16-23 (5 to 10:30 p.m.)
• Dec. 4, 11, 14-15, 26-31 (5 to 9 p.m.)
• Jan. 2-8 (5 to 9 p.m.)

For 35 magical nights this winter, guests can experience the Zoo like never before and explore all-new features, including:

• An Enchanted Trail: an area where guests can stroll through a forest of lights while listening to the sounds of the season;
• Toyland: an immersive installation featuring larger-than-life, lighted toy sculptures, such as a 40-foot-long train – along with a Wishing Tree, where families can make their holiday wishes come true, and;
• The Wild Lights Lodge: a festive, indoor oasis where guests can warm up and take in holiday décor, bar service, s’mores and more.

“Wild Lights is one of our most successful and fun events of the year, and it’s easy to see why,” said Megan Gregg, senior events manager for the Detroit Zoological Society. “The incredible new activities we have planned for this year, along with all the traditional festivities that are part of Wild Lights, are what make this family-friendly event so popular. Visiting the Zoo will no doubt get you into the holiday spirit this year!”

Wild Lights guests can also check out the Wildlife Photographer of the Year art exhibition, which is included with admission to any Wild Lights event at no additional charge. Owned by the Natural History Museum in London, this exhibition celebrates the best of nature photography and photojournalism using the unique, emotive power of photography to inspire wonder and create advocates for the natural world. The Detroit Zoo is the first stop in the United States for the exhibition, which will debut on Saturday, Nov. 19 during the opening night of Wild Lights.

General admission tickets for Wild Lights range from $17 to $24, based on the time and day, and can be purchased in advance by visiting wildlights.detroitzoo.org.  Guests can make their Wild Lights visit even more magical by purchasing one of an additional four special ticket packages that are available, including two new options for 2022 – the Brilliant Bundle Package ($35) and the Wild Lights Total Experience Package ($65).

The Detroit Zoo is also partnering with Mittens for Detroit throughout the duration of Wild Lights. Wrapped collection boxes will be located at the Detroit Zoo’s entrance for guests to donate, if they wish, any new, unused mittens and gloves to give the gift of warmth to those in need this holiday season. Mittens for Detroit is a nonprofit dedicated to collecting and distributing new mittens for Metro Detroiters, and the organization has delivered more than a quarter million pairs since 2010.

Wild Lights is sponsored by Burns & Wilcox, Kroger, Ford, Buddy’s Pizza, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Doetsch Environmental Services, KeyBank, DTE, IBEW Local 58, Gray’s Outdoor Services, Genisys Credit Union and Aqua Tots.