Denver Zoo Lights Still Captivates Attendees After 35 Years

Talia Reyes fell in love with Denver Zoo Lights when she was 10. The glow she saw when she walked into the zoo in 2010 drew her in, and the fond memories it provided for her and her family kept them returning year after year.

“I actually can’t believe how long it’s been that I’ve been coming,” said Reyes as she walked through this year’s light display with her family. “My sister, mom and I would come every year and just eat food or guess what lights would be new or which animals would be awake.”

Reyes continues to pass down the tradition of Denver Zoo Lights to her own children 15 years later, and she finds the same joy in them as she did as a child viewing the displays.

“I remember the first time I saw the elephant lights, and I just thought it was the coolest thing that it looked like they were splashing each other,” Reyes said. “So year after year I come back, and they come back, and it feels a little bit like seeing an old friend.”

Denver’s Zoo Lights officially kicked off this year on Monday, Nov. 24, welcoming first-time tourists and long-time recurring community members to the zoo’s 35th annual holiday celebration. Three million lights illuminate the 80-acre campus, transforming it into a winter wonderland featuring a carousel, train and winter market.

This event is one of the largest in the metro area and can be overwhelming for first-time attendees. The scope and scale of Zoo Lights is why Reyes’ family always came twice: once to see all of the new lights for the season and take photos, and once completely unplugged to play games with the lights and snow.

“One of my favorites was when we would run with our mom through each section just to try and find any new sculptures or arrangements,” Reyes said. “We also used to count how many animals were in the trees versus the ground or try to throw snowballs.”

As you walk through Zoo Lights and admire its displays, music drifts through speakers, blending in with the natural surroundings for a truly immersive experience that changes with each theme you explore. Almost every genre is represented, from traditional chants to classical, salsa and Disney musical numbers.

“The first time we heard a ‘Frozen’ song, we totally freaked out,” Reyes said. “We were walking through the Northern Lights area, and I watched my girls have the same experience with the same song; it was unreal.”

While memories fade, emotions accumulate, giving returning members like Reyes something to look forward to each holiday season. Her own memories and experiences have prompted her to spread the word to all of her friends and fellow parents.

“I don’t know how they get something like this together, but we sure are glad that they’re able to,” Reyes said. “The magic has never left.”

Jake Kubie, Director of Public Relations for the Zoo Conservation Alliance, described the effort that goes into making the zoo everything Reyes adores.

“It’s a huge undertaking,” Kubie said. “Some of the lights that are kind of off the beaten path have stayed up year-round, but most of the lights have to be put up and taken down every year. So the preparation for Zoo Lights starts in late August and goes right up until we open the doors.”

It’s not easy to coordinate six full-time employees, partners and contractors to help with the installations, but after 35 years of producing Zoo Lights, Kubie says the organization has developed a tried-and-true system for completing tasks on time.

“We follow a very similar process year after year,” Kubie said. “Our events team and lighting teams are always trying to find fun, new ways to engage our visitors and guests, so we put up new light sculptures and kind of have different themes throughout the zoo.”

These new lights are always exciting to see for a returning family, and those making their first visit get to experience everything as if it were brand new. Abby Foster was one of those first-timers this year, dressed in a jacket and scarf with a group of friends who had the opportunity to witness the decades-long tradition.

“I’m honestly surprised I haven’t been here sooner,” Foster said. “We’ve all been having such a great time, but also beating ourselves up a bit that we haven’t come before.”

She argues that you don’t have to be a longtime attendee to enjoy the spectacles. Foster and her friends had a great time and enjoyed making memories; they’ve also learned a few tricks.

“That tropical exhibit is a lifesaver against the cold, honestly,” Foster said. “You shiver until you walk into the warm building and then take your time warming up by looking at all of the lizards and fishies.”

Zoo Lights is open every day in the evenings (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) until Jan. 4. The zoo staff notes that attendees should plan extra time to get to the zoo and navigate Zoo Lights over the weekend. The most affordable (and least) busy times to visit the installation are during the week or after the holidays, when value pricing is available.

“Maybe I romanticize it too much, but there are just too many reasons to keep coming back,” Reyes said as she took in the wonder of this year’s Denver Zoo Lights. “If it’s not the hot cocoa, or the food, or the lights and activities, it’s definitely just how much I feel like these events impacted me as a kid.”