July 11, 2024

Sneak Peek of Two New Seasonal Spectaculars

Fall and Winter Programming to Amaze and Delight

The summer may be heating up the city now, but the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is looking ahead to cooler evenings. We are thrilled to preview two new holiday events that will ignite autumn and winter nights – the Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza and Wild Illuminations: A Holiday Lantern Experience. Prepare to be dazzled by the magic of not one, but two, new, larger-than-life seasonal festivals!

Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza

Thousands of artistically carved pumpkins will glow in the night during the walk-through Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza. These gourd-geous works of art will feature beloved Zoo animals and familiar characters from the worlds of entertainment, science, fantasy, pop culture, sports, and more, presented with sound, light, and other special effects. This family friendly event is the perfect combination of nighttime fun, the spirit of autumn, and artistry. Thousands of pumpkins will illuminate The Islands and Jungle Odyssey in a spectacle unlike anything you’ve ever seen, including differently themed areas with a Pittsburgh connection!

The Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza will open to the public on Thursday, October 3 and run nightly through Sunday, November 3. Beloved daytime trick-or-treating event ZooBoo will continue during daytime hours the last two weekends in October.  The evening Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza adds another fall family tradition that will delight guests of all ages.

Wild Illuminations: A Holiday Lantern Experience

Presented by UPMC Health Plan

Wild Illuminations is a fabulously frosty reimagination of the Zoo’s treasured Asian Lantern Festival and Zoo Lights. Guests who have marveled at the handmade silk and steel structures will be amazed by an all-new lineup of sights, sounds, and surprises. More than a million twinkling lights will further enhance our biggest and brightest holiday glow-fest ever! Wintry activities, holiday treats, and a visit by Santa himself will make this your family’s new must-see holiday tradition. Plus, you will have the chance to meet live reindeer as Santa’s favorite animals will be at the Zoo, too!

Running Friday, November 15, 2024 through Sunday, January 12, 2025, both walk-through and drive-through options of Wild Illuminations will dispel the darkness of a Pittsburgh winter. Colossal Christmas-themed lanterns include snowflakes, trees, candy canes, and a surplus of Santa Claus. A fantastical Secret Forest is a frigid home to unicorns, a griffin, a snow monster, and an unforgettable ice dragon. Lanterns such as a mystical dream tunnel and spectrum of zodiac animals will shine light on Lunar New Year. Be sure to plan a family visit to this can’t-miss seasonal event.

Cooler days will be here before you know it! Stay tuned for more information about these events soon on the Zoo’s social media pages @pghzoo and here on our website at pittsburghzoo.org.