ZooTampa at Lowry Park will host its annual Christmas in the Wild event, starting November 28 and running for seventeen nights through December 30. The event, presented by GEICO, was nominated for USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 for Best Zoo Lights.
The holiday celebration transforms the zoo with over a million lights, illuminated animal sculptures, entertainment, seasonal food, and interactive activities. This year includes new features from sponsor GEICO. Visitors can explore the GEICO Gecko Santa Blvd leading to an expanded North Pole Lane, where Santa, Mrs. Claus, and elves await guests.
“Christmas in the Wild is free for members and Zoo Fun Ticket (Pay for a Day) holders. General admission tickets after 4PM are $29.95.”
Event highlights include Holly Jolly Circle with a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree and choreographed light shows; North Pole Lane with games, treats, cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus, and letter writing to Santa; and themed areas such as Illuminate in Ituri Pass Africa, The Realm of the Nutcracker dance party, Snowasis dining area with decorated trees and Pipsy the Penguin photo opportunities, Gingerbread Jubilee festivities in Gingerbread Village, Ice Cavern’s glowing tunnel experience, Rockin’ Wreaths DJ music zone in Africa Circle, Ticky Tacky Christmas at Roaring Springs with unconventional decorations and music, Candy Cane Carousel rides alongside Randolph the reindeer encounter, Caribbean Christmas featuring flamingo lights and a Hymn-Prov show for comedy performances.
Visitors can also walk along Africa Path accompanied by carolers while viewing animals or see larger-than-life illuminated animal sculptures throughout the zoo including giraffes, manatees with calves, elephants, eagles, rhinos and penguins. A Merry and Bright Light Show plays continuously at ZooTampa’s holiday house.
For those seeking special experiences there are Holiday Signature Encounters available to upgrade visits—offering close-up interactions with African penguins or Greater One-Horned rhinos.
The event runs on select nights: November 28 (members-only), November 29; December 5-6; December 12-14; December 19-23; and December 26-30. Hours are from 4 p.m. to either 10 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on date. Tickets after 4 p.m. cost $29.95 online at zootampa.org [https://zootampa.org]. Admission is included for Pay for Day ticket holders or members.
Guests are encouraged to participate in giving back through donations at the animal Giving Tree supporting enrichment activities that benefit ZooTampa’s animals’ well-being.
ZooTampa is operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society as an independent nonprofit organization focused on conservation work locally and globally through initiatives like ZT Saves. It is recognized as Florida’s most attended zoological attraction [https://zootampa.org] and has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for over three decades. The facility houses one of only three U.S.-based centers able to care for critically injured manatees—and one of two equipped for orphaned calves—and operates daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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