A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival

This brand-new, family-friendly experience features hundreds of larger-than-life animal lanterns throughout the Zoo, storytelling the ongoing journey of wildlife, the importance of every species on our planet, and Oakland Zoo's commitment to conservation.

Dozens of towering and even interactive, glowing lanterns of every order await to entertain and enlighten you at every turn.

Take a mile-long stroll (socially distanced, of course!) through these illuminated and dazzling lanterns - from the ice-capped 15-foot tall penguin corridor to the breathtaking full-size elephants, giraffes, and lions - to the enormous, fluttering butterflies floating against the star-filled night sky. Ride our brilliantly-lit gondolas to visit California Trail - where you’re transported back in time to a dinosaur world filled with prehistoric rock stars like the T-rex, stegosaurus, pterodactyls, and more!