CINCINNATI — Fitted with a massive Fiona nutcracker welcoming guests for the 2022 season, the PNC Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo has been selected as the No. 1 Zoo Lights in the country.
The PNC Festival of Lights was granted the top honor by USA Today for the fifth consecutive year. The Cincinnati Zoo itself also received the honor of Best Zoo in the U.S. duringUSA Today's summer poll.
"This year marks the 40th anniversary of PNC Festival of Lights, so it's especially meaningful for the event to be recognized as the best," said Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard.
Zoo visitors can experience the Festival of Lights through Jan. 8, and Dec. 23 is the last chance to visit Santa before he returns to the North Pole to prep for Christmas.
If you want to see all the wonderful animals the zoo has to offer, guests are encouraged to come earlier in the day for outdoor exhibits, and indoor exhibits such as Manatee Springs, Night Hunters and more will be open during the evening hours.
Guests can also experience the zoo's new train, which travels through the Festival of Lights' Rainbow Tunnel.
"The secret to making the event magical year after year is to add some new things like a Fiona Nutcracker and keep the best of the best, like the Wild Lights Show on Swan Lake and the dazzling Rainbow Tunnel," Maynard said.
If you're interested in heading to the PNC Festival of Lights, Cincinnati Zoo members enter for free, and general admission tickets can be purchased here.
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