It’s that time of year again: festive lights, merry songs and comfort cuisine are in season. This means that holiday events around Memphis are too. One such attraction is the Memphis Zoo Lights, which has opened its doors to holiday activities and merchandise of all kinds.

Some of the attractions include the ferris wheel, Santa’s Sleigh, the China Carousel, hot chocolate stations, and displays and animal exhibits, including the Animals of the Night and Herpetarium. The zoo has also made sure to include many attractions from previous years.

“There’s … the light tunnel, they have it every year,” Anson Yan (9) said. “They also have the [ice] rink, and there should be a forest where you can go through [it].”

The main aspect of the Zoo Lights is the various decorations placed around the venue. There are also special scenes on display such as the Truist Courtyard Winter Wonderland and Christmas Tree Lane.

“They had a lot of lights,” Laasya Kalathur (9) said. “They had snowflakes – like large snowflakes – and they had artificial snow when you first entered the zoo.”

Throughout the zoo, there are multiple opportunities to grab a bite to eat, and the zoo has made sure to include many limited holiday options to celebrate the season. Both sweet and savory treats are available for all age groups.

“They had hot chocolate,”  Kalathur said. “And you can make s’mores … For the adults, there’s beer you can get … They call it the ‘hot chocolate booze.”

The typical entrance fee for the event is $14 for each person that is a member of the zoo, $19 for non-members and no fee for children under the age of two. For certain guests however, the Memphis Zoo has a special deal that lets them in for free. Not only does the zoo try to accommodate those affiliated with St. Jude, but those with younger children as well.

“For everyone who works [at St. Jude] … [they] can book how many tickets they’ll need, and then they have certain days allocated for St. Jude workers,” Kalathur said. “I think there’s also tickets for the patients.”

The zoo also sets itself apart from other holiday attractions in Memphis with its variety of entertainment.

“I think it’s more child friendly, since there is free transportation, especially compared to the Shelby Farms [Starry Nights],” Kalathur said. “[But] like you can walk around, you can go through the majority of the zoo, so you’re not just in a car the entire time.”

The Memphis Zoo Lights is an experience that many might enjoy during the next few weeks, up until Jan. 6 on select nights. Their hours range from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m..

“It was enjoyable,” Kalathur said. “They had very interesting activities … Also, the decorations were nice.”