Nashville, TN – Tickets are officially on sale for Nashville Zoo’s Zoolumination, the country’s largest Chinese lantern celebration. This year will be bigger and brighter, featuring over 1,000 newly crafted, silk Chinese lanterns, and will run from November 17th, 2023, through February 4th, 2024.
After a record-breaking turnout of more than 150,000 guests last year, this season’s festival will prove to be even more magical and impressive.
Nashville Zoo will glow with more than 1,000 authentic, custom-made silk Chinese lanterns displayed throughout the nearly three miles of Zoo pathways. Visitors can expect one-of-a-kind lantern structures exquisitely constructed featuring fantastical beasts, picturesque walkways, Chinese folklore, dragons, creatures, and more.
Guests can also enjoy live entertainment from Chinese acrobats and entertainers who will perform nightly. Venture through a unique holiday-themed North Pole Village that will feature the North Pole Express, Santa’s workshop, holiday treats, and even visit Santa from November 24th to December 24th.
Zoolumination will run nightly from November 17th through January 7th and Thursdays through Sundays from January 11th through February 4th. Single-night admission to Zoolumination from Monday to Thursday is $23.00 for adults and $19.00 for children (ages 2-12). Single-night admission from Friday to Sunday is $26.00 for adults and $22.00 for children. Members save $2.00 per single admission ticket. Enjoy unlimited visits throughout the duration of the event with the Platinum Pass, which is $39.00 for adults and $29.00 for children (ages 2-12). Children under age 2 are free.
Please note that advanced tickets are suggested, and it is a rain-or-shine event. All Nashville Zoo members can enjoy an exclusive discounted preview night on November 16 before the event opens to the general public.
Nashville Zoo is partnering with Zigong Lantern Group to develop and implement this event. Chinese artists, welders, and construction staff from Zigong Lantern Group will help design and construct each lantern in the back of the Zoo property. The production process will take approximately three months. Upon completion, these lanterns will be placed in public viewing areas throughout the Zoo and remain in place until the end of the event. Environmentally friendly LED lights will illuminate all lanterns.
Zigong Lantern Group is a global company and leader in lantern arts, with their manufacturing hub located in Zigong, also known as “Lantern City” in China. Zigong Lantern Group has held lantern festivals in over 16 countries and 30 cities worldwide and has won numerous awards for its designs.
For more information and to buy tickets, please visit www.nashvillezoo.org/zoolumination
About Nashville Zoo
Nashville Zoo is a nonprofit organization celebrating 25 years at Grassmere. The Zoo is an accredited member of the Associations of Zoos and Aquariums, exemplifying the highest animal care and husbandry standards. Nashville Zoo is actively engaged in conservation research, habitat protection, breeding programs, and education initiatives in our backyard and worldwide.
With support from the Nashville community, donors, and sponsors, the Zoo is ranked the number one tourist attraction in Middle Tennessee and welcomes more than one million guests annually. Nashville Zoo is located at 3777 Nolensville Pike, just six miles south of downtown.
For more information about Nashville Zoo, visit nashvillezoo.org.
