Blank Park Zoo's Wild Lights Festival features 50 enormous illuminated displays of animals

Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Des Moines Register
·1 min read

Giant pandas, an enormous octopus, cheerful sunflowers and big bumblebees are all part of the Blank Park Zoo's Wild Lights Festival, which returns this April with new Asian lanterns.

The 2023 festival will feature 50 handmade, larger-than-life, illuminated, animal-shaped lanterns, according to zoo's news release.

“This is a magical all-new experience of light and culture,” said Anne Shimerdla, president and CEO of Blank Park Zoo, in a release. “It’s exciting to see Blank Park Zoo transformed.”

This year, visitors can expect to see a 75-foot-long sunflower tunnel and a giant 33-foot-wide octopus among the gigantic displays.

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When can you see the Wild Lights Festival?

The festival will run from April 1 through May 29, Wednesday through Sunday nights, including Memorial Day. Hours will be from 7:30 to 10 p.m.

What can you expect to see at Blank Park Zoo's Wild Lights Festival?

An octopus is one of the 50 displays at the Wild Lights Festival, returning to Blank Park Zoo in April.
An octopus is one of the 50 displays at the Wild Lights Festival, returning to Blank Park Zoo in April.

The festival this year features underwater-themed animals, large insects, Asian mythical creatures and endangered animals, according to the release.

How to get tickets

A butterfly is one of the 50 displays at the Wild Lights Festival, returning to Blank Park Zoo in April.
A butterfly is one of the 50 displays at the Wild Lights Festival, returning to Blank Park Zoo in April.

Blank Park Zoo will hold a one-day sale March 8. According to the release, tickets will be discounted up to 40 percent at blankparkzoo.com. Cost of tickets range from $19 to $25 with the one-day sale price as low as $15. There is also a discount available for groups of 40 people or more.

Noelle Alviz-Gransee is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Follow her on Twitter @NoelleHannika or email her at NAlvizGransee@registermedia.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Wild Lights Festival to feature animal-shaped lanterns at Blank Park Zoo