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OPENING TONIGHT! ILLUMINIGHTS

Zoo Atlanta is all aglow with the highly anticipated return of IllumiNights: A Chinese Lantern Festival, opening Monday evening, November 21, 2022. Zoo Atlanta has partnered with Hanart Culture to bring the experience back to Atlanta, with an abundance of new lanterns and stunning scenes celebrating the splendors of nature. IllumiNights is presented by Georgia Power, with additional support from Beacon Sponsor PNC and Luminary Sponsor Kaiser Permanente.

Greeted by breathtaking arches formed by brilliantly lit peacocks, guests will enjoy an inspiring stroll throughout a nighttime Zoo filled with vistas of more than 100 nature-inspired lanterns, each hand-crafted by Chinese artisans. Those who attended the event in its debut year in 2021 can expect a fresh and magical experience highlighting the wonders of our planet’s magnificent flora and fauna. Highlights include a spectacular giant phoenix; a scene of larger-than-life pandas surrounded by vibrant cherry blossoms; a twisting python; great apes; a cheetah perched in a tree; an ocean world; and much more. Many of the lanterns feature special effects such as animals moving or flowers opening and closing. In keeping with Zoo Atlanta’s mission of conservation, each lantern is lit with environmentally friendly LED lights.

Visitors will also enjoy rides on the Endangered Species Carousel; festival-inspired food and beverage (including over-21 hot beverages) and retail items available for purchase; and a S’mores station.

The festival will run nightly through January 15, 2023. Hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., with the last entry at 8 p.m.

Because IllumiNights is an after-dark experience, the Zoo’s living population of animals will not be visible during the event. Instead, wildlife takes shape in the form of the lanterns, which are sure to inspire guests of all ages.

Advance ticket purchases are strongly encouraged. Get tickets and full details at zooatlanta.org/illuminights.

Zoo Atlanta
800 Cherokee Avenue, S.E.
Atlanta, GA 30315

MEDIA CONTACT:

Rachel Davis, Director of Communications
404.624.2812 – office
404.309.2238 – cell
rdavis@zooatlanta.org

Gavin Johnson, Public Relations and Communications Specialist
404.624.5980 – office
gjohnson@zooatlanta.org

About Zoo Atlanta
A proud accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the gold standard for animal care and welfare, Zoo Atlanta has a mission to save wildlife and their habitats through conservation, research, education, and engaging experiences. The Zoo is home to more than 1,000 animals representing more than 200 species from around the world, many of them endangered or critically endangered. Highlights include giant pandas, including Ya Lun and Xi Lun, the only giant panda twins in the U.S.; one of North America’s largest zoological populations of great apes; and a global center of excellence for the care and study of reptiles and amphibians. Recent transformations include the African Savanna, featuring new and expanded habitats for African elephants, giraffes, zebras, ostriches, warthogs, meerkats, and rhinos; Savanna Hall, a state-of-the-art special event destination in the newly restored historic former home of the Atlanta Cyclorama; and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Plaza. For more information, visit zooatlanta.org.

Connect With Your Wild Side #onlyzooatl