The Detroit Zoo will glow again this holiday season as Wild Lights, its award-winning light festival, returns from November 21, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Millions of LED lights will transform the front half of the Royal Oak zoo into a walk-through winter wonderland of illuminated animals, trees and larger-than-life displays.
The 2026–27 season runs November 21, 22 and 27–29; December 4–6, 10–23 and 26–31; and January 2–3. Hours are 5 to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 5 to 9 p.m. on other nights. Along the trail, guests can sip hot cocoa, snap photos at festive backdrops and warm up at the Wild Lights Lodge.
Tickets range from $17 to $65, and popular nights sell out every year. Every ticket also supports the Detroit Zoological Society’s mission of connecting people with animals and nature. Details and tickets are at detroitzoo.org.
