Last winter you could put off the Nashville Zoo's lights until things calmed down. Zoolumination ran nightly into early January, then kept going Thursday through Sunday until Feb. 8, 2026. That gave a quiet stretch after the holidays for a weeknight visit with the kids or a slow walk with houseguests who stayed past New Year's.
This year that stretch is gone. Glow Wild, the zoo's new holiday light show, opens Friday, Nov. 13, and runs nightly from 5 to 9 pm through Jan. 3, 2027. There are no January weekend nights after that. The show is new, the season is shorter, and the ticket prices work differently, so this year it pays to plan the visit before the holidays fill up.
Why the Lanterns Aren't Coming Back This Year
Zoolumination was built by InLight Festival Group, the zoo's partner on the event. In 2025, its artists, welders, and construction crews spent about three months building the silk lanterns on the back of the zoo property. That was the sixth year of the partnership. In September, WKRN reported that the visa applications for this year's artisans were denied and the zoo couldn't find a way to keep Zoolumination going in 2026. The zoo's Zoolumination page now shows the cancellation notice and sends visitors to Glow Wild.
Last year's event had more than 1,000 handmade lighted structures, cultural performers at the Ajax Turner Amphitheater at 6, 7, and 8 pm, and a North Pole Village. The Glow Wild page describes glowing animal displays across the zoo and a new Holiday Square on Festival Field. The square is built around an 85-foot Christmas tree with a synchronized light show.
Last Year and This Year, Line by Line
| Zoolumination 2025 | Glow Wild 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Nightly Nov. 13 to Jan. 4, then Thu–Sun Jan. 8 to Feb. 8 | Nightly Nov. 13 to Jan. 3 |
| Hours | 5 to 9 pm | 5 to 9 pm |
| Single night, adults and teens | $25 | $27 |
| Single night, ages 2 to 12 | $21 | $27 |
| Platinum Pass, adults and teens | $39 | $39 |
| Platinum Pass, ages 2 to 12 | $29 | $39 |
| Under 2 | Free | Free, ticket still required |
| Ice rink | $12 nonmember, $10 member | $12 nonmember, $10 member |
| Santa | Nov. 28 to Dec. 24, North Pole Village | Nov. 27 to Dec. 24, The Holiday Square |
If you count the calendar, last season had 73 open nights: 53 nights in a row through Jan. 4, plus 20 Thursday-through-Sunday nights from Jan. 8 to Feb. 8. Glow Wild has 52. Every one of the 21 nights that went away fell after the holidays, which were the nights that used to be easiest to fit in.
The Price Change Lands on Kids
An adult single-night ticket went up $2, and the adult Platinum Pass and the rink prices stayed the same. The bigger change is that Glow Wild charges one price per person, no matter the age. A child who cost $21 last year costs $27 now, and a child's Platinum Pass went from $29 to $39.
Here is what that means for two adults and two children between 2 and 12:
- One night, single tickets: $108 this year, up from $92 in 2025. Parking is another $10.
- Platinum Passes for all four: $156, up from $136 last year. Parking is free for Platinum Pass holders and zoo members.
- Two nights, single tickets: $216 in tickets plus $20 in parking, or $236 total. That is $80 more than the Platinum Passes cost.
For a family this size, the Platinum Pass costs $38 more than one night with parking and saves money starting with the second visit. With a shorter season, those two visits need to happen between mid-November and the first weekend of January. Zoo members get $5 off each single-night ticket.
The fine print also works in favor of booking early. Single-night tickets can be passed to another person, and you can move to a different night if there's space, but not to a night that has sold out. The event goes on in rain, snow, or shine, with no refunds or rain checks. With 52 nights to choose from and the December weekends likely to fill up, the date-change option is only as good as the open nights left when you need it.
Picking Your Nights Before December Fills Up
The zoo gives one clear tip for avoiding crowds. Families looking for a quieter visit may find one by arriving right at 5 pm on a weeknight. That fits the opening stretch well. The two weeks between Nov. 13 and Thanksgiving have the most weeknights before the holiday rush, and Santa doesn't start until Nov. 27.
A few more details can help you decide which nights to pick:
- Santa: He visits The Holiday Square on Festival Field every night from Nov. 27 to Dec. 24. If a photo with Santa is the reason for going, those are the dates to plan around.
- Ice skating: The Smashville Ice Rink, presented by the Nashville Predators, may close when it's warmer than 50 degrees. Anyone with skating tickets for that night gets a full refund. Rink tickets are sold separately from admission and include a 45-minute session and skate rental. You can buy them online, at Entry Village, or at the rink.
- The last weekend: Jan. 2 and 3 are the final nights. Houseguests staying past New Year's will need to go then or not at all.
A Platinum Pass family could do an early weeknight in November, before the crowds and Santa, and come back in December for the tree and Santa. That would cover both kinds of visit for about the price of last year's single tickets plus one more night.
How a Glow Wild Night Runs
The gates are open from 5 to 9, but several things close earlier, so the order you do things in matters.
- Arrive at 5. It's the quietest time the zoo names, and the animals that stay up late are still out.
- See the animals first. Most animals go to bed before dark. The Sumatran tiger, Andean bear, and flamingos stay out until 8:30 pm. Unseen New World stays open all evening, except on some weekend nights set aside for Night Owls.
- Eat before 8. Quills Café & Grill will be open with a seasonal menu, and Screaming Gibbon Pizza Kitchen will make pizzas to order. Hot cocoa, with a spiked version available, plus beer, margaritas, specialty cocktails, coffee, and soda are sold until about 8 pm. Sweets and classic zoo snacks at the concession stands also stop around 8.
- Save the tree for later. The 85-foot tree's synchronized show in The Holiday Square works well as the last stop once the animals are in for the night.
- Extras cost more. The Adventure 4D Theater has a holiday short film, with tickets at Entry Village and the theater. The Soaring Eagle Zip Line and The Wild Animal Carousel sell tickets on site.
For children who are sensitive to noise or crowds, the ticket booth hands out free Zooper Packs with fidget toys, earplugs, and other tools. Every guest needs a ticket, including children under 2, even though theirs is free. That's easy to miss when booking online. You can buy tickets at the gate the night you go, but advance tickets are sold online only, and the zoo recommends buying ahead.
Groups of 20 or more can get discounted tickets through the zoo's group sales team. That's worth knowing for a company or neighborhood holiday party this year.
If you're working out your family's December plans, or helping out-of-town guests plan their visit, I'm happy to share what I know about this season around Nashville. Let's Connect with Cherri Nolan.
