The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has been a leading attraction and tourist destination in Uptown for decades, featuring more than 400 animals and 3,000 plant species. MSN recently ranked Cincinnati its top 25 vacation destinations for 2022, citing the zoo as a primary contributing factor.
Despite an unconventional year, the zoo was able to help friends and families celebrate PNC Festival of Lights, a long-standing community holiday tradition, safely together. This year’s event, which ran from November 19, 2021 to January 9, 2022, was filled with major successes, including being voted the No. 1 Zoo lights in the country by USA Today for the fourth time in a row! It included popular holiday favorites such as the Wild Lights Show on Swan Lake, the North Pole Polar Express Train and the famous Rainbow Tunnel. One of the new displays, Under the Sea, ended up being the favorite for many guests.
“Under the Sea, was an immersive experience where guests could find themselves surrounded by colorful lights and walking under floating jellyfish lanterns,” said Michelle Curley, Communications Director at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
Additionally, new Elfie-Selfie Instagram stations throughout the zoo allowed visitors to pose with the perfect backdrop for photos, including a giant polar bear, snowflakes, ornament people and Santa’s Sleigh, to name a few. Santa Claus was also available until December 23.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and new variant amping up during the holiday season, safety for all guests remained at the forefront of the festival. “Safety is a priority for anyone visiting the Cincinnati Zoo,” Curley said.
A new pedestrian entrance and crosswalk with police crossing guards helped guests enter the zoo safely. Due to the event being outdoors, masks were not required but recommended for any guests, particularly those who are unvaccinated.
The Cincinnati Zoo brought some holiday cheer outside of the confines of the zoo this year as well. An installation was placed outside of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center (CCHMC) for children, patients and staff to enjoy.
“Despite yet another unconventional year brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cincinnati Zoo persisted with this magnificent, world-class Festival of Lights that helps brighten up our city every holiday season,” said Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI) President and CEO Beth Robinson. “Our community is a better place because of the zoo’s attractions and efforts, which drive more than 1.5 million people to visit annually.”
The zoo is one of five Uptown anchor institutions and a founding member of UCI. Through its work with UCI, the zoo continues to help guide community and economic development throughout the Uptown neighborhoods.
“We are proud to be their community partner and work alongside them in continuing to grow Uptown,” Robinson said.
With PNC Festival of Lights in the rearview mirror, the zoo is excited about the upcoming attractions and celebrations for 2022, including:
The Return of Tunes & Blooms: Guests can listen to live local music while admiring more than 100,000 tulips in bloom through the zoo with free admission after 5 p.m. on Thursdays in April.
Penguin Parades: Penguin Parades will take place from January 14 to February 28 on Fridays to Sundays, and holiday Mondays only. Parades are at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. It must be under 50 degrees Fahrenheit for the parade to occur.
Cincinnati Zoo Tales: A new podcast from the zoo where keepers and other animal and wildlife professionals talk about how they are making a difference in the world. Action items to help listeners make a difference will also be featured.
2022 is already off to an incredible start. A huge milestone was marked recently with the fifth birthday of Fiona, the world-famous hippo, on January 24, 2022. A virtual celebration was held to commemorate the occasion and we shared our love for the Uptown star here.
The Cincinnati Zoo also continues to offer plan-ahead pricing, which allows visitors to purchase tickets ahead of time to save time and money. Admission is deeply discounted during Penguin Days, which runs through March 12. Advanced tickets can be purchased online here.
For more information on the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, please visit cincinnatizoo.org.