Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on November 19, 2024.
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In recent years, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium was known for hosting the Asian Lantern Festival for a night-time walkthrough amongst beautiful, massive lanterns.
In 2024, this changed as the zoo did not bring the show back for another year. Instead, the zoo announced a new show for the holidays, known as Wild Illuminations, that would be a similar experience to the lantern fest- with a holiday twist.
Naturally, as fans of the Asian Lantern Festival we had to visit this one on opening weekend to see what it is like!
What to Expect at Wild Illuminations
For those who had visited an Asian Lantern Festival event at the zoo in the past, Wild Illuminations is going to feel incredibly familiar to you.
The zoo is filled with dozens of paper lanterns with scenes focusing on the holidays, Arctic and Antarctic animals, and a mix of Asian lanterns with winter flair thrown in the mix as well.
During our 60-minute walk through around the zoo, we saw the likes of Santa in his sleigh with presents, massive Christmas trees, monster candy canes, polar bears, Atlantic puffins, the Chinese Zodiac, dragons, and so much more.
Many of these exhibits, particularly around the animals, also came with small signs sharing more details about what you were looking at, the animal’s habitat, and more.
In fact, the show is so much like the Asian Lantern Festival that the placements and styles of the lanterns felt virtually identical- just with holiday elements thrown in the mix.
Wild Illuminations also has many live event stations set up throughout the zoo; however, during our weeknight visit early in the season, we did not get to see any of these. So we’d recommend checking online to see when any extra experiences may be scheduled if they are of interest to you.
How to Get the Most Out of Wild Illuminations
When it comes to attending Wild Illuminations at the Pittsburgh Zoo, there are a few things you should do to get the most out of it.
First, buy tickets well in advance. Tickets are sold in 30 minute windows and are likely to sell out, especially at peak times on weekends in December.
Be aware that the zoo offers plan-ahead prices at a discount for those who want to lock in a fixed date/time of visit, but prices also vary by day with a roughly $10 swing in price per ticket. Flex tickets for wider entry are the most expensive, too. So check the weather, commit early, and save some money.
Second, unlike the Asian Lantern Festival (which often occurred earlier in the season), it is unlikely that there will be too much light left at the zoo by the time Wild Illuminations begins each night. Even for early arrivals, we do not anticipate much opportunity to see zoo animals at this one as the sun sets far too early this time of year.
Third, consider eating before or after your visit. Much like previous events after dark at the zoo, the food and drink options felt somewhat limited.
Finally, for those who are not into walking, it is worth noting that the zoo will have some drive-thru nights scheduled in December. This is a lot like their previous light experiences which, if we are being honest, we weren’t as big of fans of from a logistics perspective- walking through is the way to go!
Overall, while Wild Illuminations at the Pittsburgh Zoo feels almost identical to the Asian Lantern Festival (but, you know, with holiday vibes), we had a blast at this one because there is something special about the giant lantern experiences at the zoo that we can’t get enough of.
So if you were a fan of the Asian Lantern Festival experience and want more with a holiday twist, Wild Illuminations is for you!
Wild Illuminations is at the Pittsburgh Zoo and on select nights from November 15th, 2024, to January 12th, 2025.
