Houston’s favorite holiday tradition is glowing again. TXU Energy presents Zoo Lights returns to the Houston Zoo from November 19, 2026, through January 3, 2027, transforming the zoo into a nighttime wonderland where wildlife comes to light. The event runs from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., with last entry at 9:30 p.m., and the zoo will be closed on December 9 and Christmas Eve.
Families can wander through dazzling animal light displays, meet glowing animal lanterns at Gateway to Wonder, and snap photos beneath 100-year-old oak trees wrapped in lights at Celestial Flight. More magic waits along Candy Cane Lane, around the s’mores stations and hot chocolate at Campfire Canyon, and in the Frosted Forest, where snow falls in Houston every single night.
This season brings cheerful firsts and extras. On Fridays for Wildlife, the first 2,000 guests each Friday through December 25 take home a limited-edition animal ornament celebrating a featured zoo animal and its conservation story. Wine Fest adds a 21-and-over tasting night on November 20, and for the first time ever, Zoo Lights will open on Christmas Day, December 25. Members get a head start with preview nights on November 17 and 18, and a calmer Sensory Inclusive Night is set for November 30, with lower music and limited flashing lights.
The Houston Zoo is at 6200 Hermann Park Drive. Tickets are available at houstonzoo.org, and every visit helps light the way for wildlife. Gather family and friends and experience the wild in a whole new light.
Photo: Houston Zoo
