Lincoln Park ZooLights 2026: Dates, Hours, Free Mondays & Tickets
Lincoln Park ZooLights 2026 opens November 20 and runs through January 3, 2027, at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. More than 3 million LED lights cover the zoo grounds every night from 4:30 to 9 p.m., and this year there is a new Flexible Admission ticket plus four free Mondays. Here is everything you need to plan a night out with friends or a date.
ZooLights 2026 at a glance
- Dates: November 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027
- Hours: 4:30 to 9 p.m. every night it is open
- Closed: Tuesdays (except December 22 & 29), Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- Tickets: fixed-date $7–$12, Flexible Admission $20 (any day in the season)
- Free Admission Mondays: November 23 & 30, December 7 & 14 (registration required)
- Where: Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago; tickets at tickets.lpzoo.org
Tickets: fixed-date, flexible or free
Fixed-date tickets cost $7 to $12 and are the cheapest way in if you already know your night. New this year, Flexible Admission costs $20 and works on any open day of the season, which is handy if your group chat cannot agree on a date or Chicago weather turns rough.
Entry is not timed, so you can arrive any time during open hours. On the four Free Admission Mondays, everyone gets in free, but you still need to register ahead.
- Tip: Free Mondays are popular, so register as soon as you pick your date and plan to arrive close to 4:30 p.m.
What to see: light tunnel, Ferris Wheel and the light show
The light tunnel on the Main Mall is the classic photo stop, and the South Lawn hosts a narrated light show. For a higher view, the Ferris Wheel is 2 tickets or $9 per guest, and the Endangered Species Carousel is 1 ticket or $4.50.
There is also a holiday-themed VR experience and the Lionel Train Adventure kiddie train. Inside, the Pepper Family Wildlife Center turns into the North Pole with Santa visits, and on select nights professional ice carvers and Victorian carolers join in.
- Tip: Walk the light tunnel first, before it gets busy later in the evening, then save the Ferris Wheel for last.
Special nights worth knowing
Sensory-Friendly Night is Tuesday, November 24, at $7 per person. New Year's Eve at ZooLights is on Thursday, December 31, and on January 1, 2027, the new New Year's ReZoolutions event brings yoga, meditation and nonalcoholic drink samples.
Members get a preview on Thursday, November 19, the night before the public opening.
- Tip: Since ZooLights is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Friendsgiving weekend is a fun time to go with your group instead.
Turn your ZooLights night into a photo strip
Phone photos of the lights are great, but a 4-shot photo strip tells the whole story of the night. After the zoo, grab a table at a cafe, prop your iPhone up and use [Shoot solo] in Hanaduul: pick a background, set the timer, and the four shots are taken one after another so your hands are free.
Try this plan: shot one holding hot cocoa cups, shot two cheek to cheek, shot three pointing at each other with big surprised faces, shot four a big group hug. Afterward, choose a [Layout], [Frame] and [Border], then write the date with the [Pen].
If your best friend lives in another city, use [Shoot together] when you get home: send your six-digit room code, talk by voice while you line up poses, and you both end up side by side on the same background in one strip. It is saved in [Together] in both of your albums. Hanaduul is iPhone only for now.
FAQ
Is Lincoln Park ZooLights free in 2026?
It is free on Free Admission Mondays: November 23 and 30 and December 7 and 14, with registration required. Other nights, fixed-date tickets are $7 to $12 and Flexible Admission is $20.
What days is ZooLights closed?
It is closed on Tuesdays (except December 22 and 29), Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Do I need to pick an entry time?
No. Admission is not timed, so you can arrive any time between 4:30 and 9 p.m. on the date of your ticket.