Philadelphia Zoo is flipping the switch on its holiday light show again this season, and this time a lion named Santa Claws is headlining the show. LumiNature returns Thursday, November 19, and runs most nights through Saturday, January 9, with nightly hours from 5 to 9 p.m.
The 2026 edition includes 14 illuminated stops, more than 1 million lights, and a cast of oversized animal sculptures, according to Philadelphia Zoo. Among this year's new additions are a 40-foot-tall penguin towering over Bird Lake Plaza and a 20-foot illuminated banana tree at Monkey Business. The display also includes a 22-foot Butterfly Tree featuring 4,000 illuminated butterflies. As NBC10 Philadelphia reports, the event also brings back the zoo's 110-foot Pherris Wheel for what the zoo says will be its final appearance there in 2026.
Santa Claws himself is a lion featured in the seasonal festivities this year. Zoo president and CEO Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman struck a playful but mission-minded tone about the season, saying guests can unlock surprises with their Zoo Key, meet Santa Claws, and help make wishes come true for animals at the zoo and around the world.
Animal Encounters and a Neighborhood Showcase
Families with young kids will find KidZooU open every evening during LumiNature, offering nightly animal encounters. The zoo says activities and surprises there are scheduled every half hour between 5 and 7 p.m.
Beyond the animal exhibits, the zoo is leaning into community participation this year. West Philadelphia neighborhood groups were invited to decorate trees inspired by the animal kingdom for the Our Neck of the Woods display, and visitors can vote for their favorite entries, according to the same report from the zoo. The idea, per the announcement, was to let the zoo's closest neighbors show off their own creativity.
A Final Spin and a First-Ever Cocktail Night
The Pherris Wheel's run this season carries some extra weight: the zoo says the wheel will make its only appearance at the zoo in 2026. For anyone who has made the ride part of their holiday tradition, this is the only chance to take it in at the zoo this year.
Adults looking for a grown-up night out have a new option this year, too. LumiNature's Cocktail Walk, described as the first-ever event of its kind at the zoo, is set for December 5. Tickets and additional details for LumiNature overall are available through the zoo's own website.
How This Year Compares to Last Season
Last year's LumiNature run, which Patch covered as opening November 20 and continuing most nights through January 3, 2026, featured its own set of oversized attractions, including a 25-foot-tall pink flamingo tree built from 1,500 lit lawn flamingos and Santa's Lodge, a cozy indoor space where guests could say hello to Santa himself, according to Patch. That prior season also required timed tickets, with entry windows available every half hour, as PHLVisitorCenter.com reported, and ticket prices for that run were listed between $22 and $29 for guests 12 and older, with children's admission between $18 and $24, per Guide to Philly. A combined ticket that included the Pherris Wheel cost $8 more, the same outlet noted.
Whether this year's pricing and exact nightly closures will mirror last season's structure has not been detailed in the zoo's new announcement. What is clear is that the scale keeps growing: between the penguin, the banana tree, the Butterfly Tree and the farewell lap on the Pherris Wheel, LumiNature's 2026 run is shaping up as one of the bigger versions of the event the zoo has staged.
