ZooLights 2026 at Lincoln Park Zoo: Dates, Tickets and Tips

ZooLights 2026 at Lincoln Park Zoo runs from Friday, November 20, 2026, to Sunday, January 3, 2027, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. nightly (last entry 8 p.m.), with a few closed dates. Every guest needs a ticket, infants included. Advance fixed-date tickets are $7–$12, and day-of or flexible tickets are $20. Admission is free on four Mondays (November 23 and 30, December 7 and 14), but you still need a reservation. Below: the full calendar, ticket tips, parking, the CTA and where to warm up nearby.

ZooLights 2026–27 dates and hours

The season opens November 20 and runs through January 3, 4:30–9 p.m., with last entry at 8 p.m. The zoo says ZooLights goes ahead in rain, snow or shine.

Closed dates

ZooLights is generally closed on Tuesdays. The exceptions are December 22 and 29, which are open, and November 24, which is the ticketed Sensory-Friendly Night. That means these dates are dark:

Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving)
Tuesdays, December 1, 8 and 15
Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25

ZooLights is open on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Special nights

Thursday, November 19: Member Preview Night (members only).
Tuesday, November 24: Sensory-Friendly Night, with static or slowed lights and softer music. Tickets are $7.
Sunday, December 6: The Chris White Jazz Trio’s tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas, with kid-friendly shows and a new 18+ evening show.
Thursday, December 10: Adults Night Out: Sugar and Spice, 6:30–10 p.m., 21+, from $20.
Thursday, December 31: New Year’s Eve at ZooLights, 4:30–9 p.m.
Saturday, January 2: New Year’s ReZoolutions (new this year), 2–4 p.m.: yoga, sound meditation and nonalcoholic drink samples for guests 21+, with early ZooLights access.

Tickets and prices

ZooLights is a ticketed evening event, even though the zoo itself is free during the day. Buying ahead is the cheapest option, and the zoo warns that some nights may sell out.

Fixed-date tickets: $7–$12 in advance, depending on the night, or $20 if bought on the day of your visit. They can’t be moved to another date.
Flexible admission: $20, good for any regular night of the season (not special ticketed events).
Free Admission Mondays: November 23 and 30, December 7 and 14. Free tickets are released one week ahead at 11 a.m. Central, and every guest needs one. December 21 and 28 aren’t free nights.
At the gate: limited same-day tickets at $20, cash only, at the East and West Gates.
Members: two to eight free fixed-date tickets depending on membership level, and 20% off extra fixed-date tickets.
Rides and attractions: extra, at $4.50 per ticket. The Ferris wheel and Gorilla Trek take two tickets ($9).

All tickets are nonrefundable. Each order arrives as one QR code by email, so keep your group together at the gate.

What you’ll see

The zoo says more than 3 million lights and hundreds of LED displays cover the grounds. The lights are energy-saving LEDs powered by wind energy. Highlights the zoo lists for 2026:

The light tunnel on the Main Mall, the Ferris wheel, the Endangered Species Carousel, a Lionel kiddie train and a holiday VR experience
Santa in the Pepper Family Wildlife Center nightly through December 23, with professional photos for sale
Live ice carving on Friday and Saturday nights, and strolling carolers on Sundays through December 21
A Light Lounge at Foreman Pavilion, a holiday pop-up bar and s’mores fire pits

Outside food and drinks aren’t allowed, and neither are pets (service animals excepted). Strollers and wagons are fine. Scooters and bikes have to be walked or parked.

Parking at the zoo lot

Parking is limited and paid, and it isn’t included in your ticket. The zoo lot entrance is at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive (2400 N. Cannon Drive). The first half hour is free, then rates run about $35–45 per day. Payment is card only, with no attendant at the exit. The zoo says the lot can close temporarily when it fills, and it recommends transit or rideshare, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. The West Gate is the rideshare pickup point. Street parking nearby is largely permit-zoned, so read our zoned-parking guide, and remember that the city’s winter overnight parking ban starts December 1 (details in Getting Around).

Getting there by CTA

Buses get you closest. The CTA 22 (Clark), 36 (Broadway), 151 (Sheridan) and 156 (LaSalle) stop along the zoo’s west side.

Red Line: Fullerton station, about a mile west of the zoo. Walk east on Fullerton or transfer to a southbound 22.
Brown/Purple lines: Armitage station, also about a mile west.
Divvy: several stations nearby, with bike racks by the main gates.

Warm-up spots near the zoo

Make a night of it with a stop before or after the lights. All of these are a short walk from the zoo:

Lincoln Park Conservatory, 2391 N. Stockton Dr., just north of the zoo. A free, warm Victorian glasshouse with timed-entry tickets, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. It closes in the late afternoon (10 a.m.–4:30 p.m., per the Lincoln Park Conservancy), so it’s a pre-ZooLights stop. The Park District hasn’t announced its 2026 winter flower show yet; last year’s opened the day before Thanksgiving.
R.J. Grunts, 2056 N. Lincoln Park West, across from the zoo’s west side. Burgers and casual American food, open into the evening.
The Lakefront Restaurant at Theater on the Lake, 2401 N. Lake Shore Dr. Casual American food, with dinner listed daily from 4 to 8 p.m.
North Pond, 2610 N. Cannon Dr. Fine dining in the park, open Thursday through Sunday for dinner. Book ahead.
More options: restaurants, coffee and bakeries and bars in the directory.

Hours change seasonally, so check each spot before you go. For more cold-weather ideas, see Lincoln Park in Winter and our parks and lakefront guide.

Good to know

Season	Nov. 20, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
Hours	4:30–9 p.m.; last entry 8 p.m.
Closed	Nov. 26; Dec. 1, 8, 15, 24, 25
Free Mondays	Nov. 23, 30; Dec. 7, 14 (reservation required)
Tickets	$7–$12 advance fixed-date; $20 day-of or flexible
Rides	$4.50 per ticket; Ferris wheel and Gorilla Trek are 2 tickets
Parking	Zoo lot, Fullerton Pkwy. & Cannon Dr.; first 30 min free, then about $35–45/day
CTA	Buses 22, 36, 151, 156; Red Line Fullerton; Brown/Purple Armitage
Sources checked	October 2026 (lpzoo.org)

Frequently asked questions

When is ZooLights 2026?

ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo runs from November 20, 2026, to January 3, 2027, 4:30–9 p.m., with last entry at 8 p.m. It’s closed on Thanksgiving, December 1, 8, 15, 24 and 25.

Is ZooLights free?

Only on four Free Admission Mondays in 2026: November 23 and 30 and December 7 and 14. You still need a free ticket, released a week ahead at 11 a.m. Other nights cost $7–$12 in advance or $20 day-of.

Do kids and babies need a ZooLights ticket?

Yes. Lincoln Park Zoo requires a ticket for every person entering ZooLights, including infants and children, on both paid and free nights.

Where do you park for ZooLights?

The paid zoo lot is at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive. The first half hour is free, then about $35–45 per day, card only. It’s limited and can fill on weekend nights, so the zoo recommends the CTA or rideshare.

Which CTA routes go to ZooLights?

CTA buses 22, 36, 151 and 156 stop along the zoo’s west side. The Red Line’s Fullerton station and the Brown and Purple lines’ Armitage station are each about a mile west of the zoo.

Still planning your season? Our Halloween in Lincoln Park 2026 guide covers October, and the complete Lincoln Park guide covers everything else. If you’re thinking about a move, see the moving checklist or get in touch.

Sources

Last updated October 2026 by Joe Bjorklund, Baird & Warner Lincoln Park.