It’s Thanksgiving once again, and that means Brookfield Zoo Chicago is ramping up for the holidays with the 43rd edition of Holiday Magic, the kickoff for a slew of events that will appeal to all ages over the coming weeks.
Holiday Magic, which officially began Friday, is the longest standing light festival in the Chicago area, though community members had an opportunity for a preview of lights throughout the park during both the Reindeer Run (Nov. 16) and over-21 Sip & Stroll (Nov. 21).
This is no ordinary holiday event, according to Julianne Olivo, the zoo’s director of public relations. It’s a big draw.
“This includes our local members as well as guests from around the country as they travel for holiday plans with loved ones,” Olivo said. “As people are coming in and out of town, it’s a short staycation.”
Holiday Magic, with presenting sponsors ComEd and Meijer, will run Thursdays through Sundays in December from 3 to 9 p.m. The zoo is also open during the daytime Mondays through Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Including November dates, that’s 24 total nights of Holiday Magic, which should draw an estimated 200,000 visitors, and their economic impact.
New this year is the LED tree located just north of the carousel, along with illuminated displays like Candy Cane Lane and Sparkling Coast, which transforms the plaza outside of the Living Coast into an underwater experience, with wavy blue lights and iridescent aquatic animals aglow, like jellyfish, dolphins and turtles. Of course, wreaths will adorn the zoo’s lion statues, which hopefully will be accentuated by a dusting of snow like that of Nov. 21. Country Financial is the Candy Cane Lane sponsor.
Holiday Magic has evolved plenty since the first edition in 1982, Olivo said.
“To picture the scale of the event’s growth,” she said, “we had 450 community trees and 750,000 lights throughout the zoo in 2000. We’ve more than doubled that holiday spirit, proudly displaying more than 900 trees decorated by community groups and more than two million sparkling lights this year.”
Compare that to about a decade earlier, in 1989, when 60 trees were decorated by community representatives and 200,000 miniature white lights were strung in trees throughout the zoo.
This year, the zoo’s Discover Center will be a haven for family fun from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 7, with the return of the Holly Jolly Gingerbread Party. That event includes a special visit from Santa, a brunch and dessert buffet, hot cocoa bar, gingerbread decorating and visits with some of the zoo’s animal ambassadors. This fundraiser benefits education, scholarship and conservation initiatives supported by the Women’s Board of Brookfield Zoo Chicago.
Speaking of jolly old Saint Nick, he’ll be shuttling down from the North Pole for Dinner with Santa at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. December 13-15. While he won’t have time to visit the zoo’s six reindeer – Bunny, Josie, Lollipop, Clarice, Rita and Sagu – he’ll be stationed in the Discovery Center, near the big cats.
That’s not all. The zoo is offering three Winter Play Days from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in December for children ages 1-3 accompanied by an adult. The play days include:
Natural Materials Day (Dec. 5), where kids can explore sensory bins, feel new textures and experience nature indoors.
Art Exploration (Dec. 12), where smocks will be provided so kids can make art out of both familiar and unusual materials.
Winter and Arctic Animals (Dec. 19), which includes cold-weather-themed activities.
But wait, there’s more. Olivo said family gatherings can be enhanced in one of the many private event spaces at the zoo, which can accommodate up to 25 people. That way, family members can stroll the grounds, taking in everything Holiday Magic has to offer, and then return for food, drinks and commiseration.
“Warm up, get some hot chocolate, some food and then go explore the zoo,” Olivo said.
Further information on Holiday Magic, including tickets and pricing, can be found at BrookfieldZoo.org/Events