It's Back! A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival!

November 13-17, 20-27, 29-30, 2024 | December 1-23, 26-31, 2024 | January 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 22-26, 2025

All Ages

This wildly popular, family-friendly experience features hundreds of ALL new, larger-than-life animal lanterns throughout the Zoo. Each lantern tells the story of the ongoing journey of wildlife, the importance of every species on our planet, and Oakland Zoo's commitment to conservation.

This year’s experience features new themes - take a float down Africa's longest river, the Nile to view wading wildlife and ancient Egyptian structures, a trip to the farm to visit barnyard favorites like cows, chicken, and sheep, a hike up the highest peaks to visit animals at the top of the world like ibex and alpaca, and a return to the past to see dinosaurs take over the California trail.

Finish your experience with a train ride through an Avian Odyssey, with our winged, feathered friends from parrots to puffins!