CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden officially opens the 40th annual PNC Festival of Lights to the public Friday night.
Through Jan. 8, visitors can enjoy the popular holiday event that decks the Cincinnati Zoo in four million LED lights.
Visitors can come early to see the animals or visit the indoor habitats available before the lights are turned on in the evening.
For 2022, the zoo is bringing back its Under the Sea area, filled with lights and giant jellyfish. Santa will be available for photos in the new Santa's Village starting at 4 p.m. each evening.
To give more folks the chance to enjoy it, the popular North Polar Express Train will start running earlier, at 2:30 p.m. each day and its track includes a "longer-than-ever light tunnel," according to the zoo.
Zoo members enter for free, and general admission tickets can be purchased here.
During the Festival of Lights, the zoo is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Earlier this month, the zoo unveiled a giant Fiona nutcracker at the zoo's main entrance, just before guests enter. It contains several symbolic references and Easter eggs; Some of the hidden details include six slices of watermelon on her belt to represent Fiona being born six weeks pre-mature — also she loves watermelon. The nutcracker also has 29 buttons on her coat for her birthweight of 29 pounds, and none other than Fritz, Fiona's younger brother, is painted on her toenail.
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