Wild Lights at the Fort Wayne Zoo is a nighttime walk-through holiday lights event at the Fort Wayne Zoo, known as the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo until a January 2025 rename, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The 2026 season is confirmed for November 13, 2026 through January 2, 2027, with gates open 5:30 to 9 p.m. on select nights. New for 2026, the zoo says it has added more than 300,000 lights to the display that debuted in 2025, pushing the total display past one million bulbs along the walking route.
The event suits families with young kids more than thrill seekers, since it’s a slow stroll past lit trees and animal buildings rather than a drive-through or ride-based show. Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours to cover the route, visit Santa’s Cottage and ride the train. Tickets are sold for a specific night, online in advance or at the gate, so buying ahead for weekend dates is the safer move, though the zoo does not describe entry as timed to a particular hour.
Stats at a Glance
- Venue: Fort Wayne Zoo (formerly Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo)
- City: Fort Wayne
- State: Indiana
- Dates: November 13, 2026 to January 2, 2027, select nights (2025: November 28, 2025 to January 4, 2026)
- Hours: 5:30 to 9 p.m. (2025: 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday)
- Tickets: $12 general, $10 members, same as the 2025 standard rate (2025 also had an early-bird rate of $10 general/$8 members through Nov. 9, 2025)
- Timed entry: Not stated; tickets are date-specific but not hour-timed
- New for 2026: Zoo says more than 300,000 lights were added to the display
2026 dates and what we know
The Fort Wayne Zoo’s official Wild Lights page and Indiana’s state tourism listing both confirm the 2026 season runs November 13, 2026 through January 2, 2027. The event opens Friday through Sunday nights in November and early December, with a special Wednesday opening on November 25 and a closure on Thanksgiving, November 26, then switches to nightly operation from December 16 through January 2, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hours each open night run 5:30 to 9 p.m. Because the night-by-night calendar is long, check the event calendar on fwzoo.com before booking a specific date. This is the second year of Wild Lights, which replaced the zoo’s long-running daytime Wild Zoo Wonderland event when it debuted in 2025.
The lights and displays
Wild Lights strings over a million lights through the zoo’s walking paths, with the route touching Indiana Family Farm, Central Zoo, Coastal Cove, Red Panda Ridge and part of Australian Adventure. The night opens at Santa’s Cottage, where kids can meet Santa before heading out onto the lit trails. Along the way there’s a nightly dance party and tree-lighting hosted by Santa’s elves, and on December 16 and 17 only, guests can get nose-to-nose with live reindeer. All pathways are listed as ADA-accessible. Wild Lights is also the zoo’s half of the larger Fort Wayne Light Fest, paired with Blue Jacket’s separately ticketed Fantasy of Lights drive-through nearby in Franke Park and the walk-through Holiday Lights at Parkview Field downtown.
Tickets, prices and member nights
2026 tickets run $12 for general admission and $10 for Fort Wayne Zoo members, with the discount applied automatically when a member logs into their account at checkout. Children age 1 and under get in free, and there is no separate child price beyond that. In 2025 the same $12/$10 rate applied for most of the season, with an early-bird rate of $10 general and $8 members offered only through November 9, 2025; the zoo has not yet said whether a similar early-bird window applies for 2026. There’s no dedicated members-only night; the member rate simply applies every open night. Parking is free at both the main zoo entrance on Sherman Boulevard and the Education Center on Franke Park Drive. Buy tickets through fwzoo.com or the Fort Wayne Light Fest site, which also offers a bundle discount across Wild Lights, Fantasy of Lights and the Parkview Field display.
Food, drinks and extras
Several zoo eateries stay open during Wild Lights, including Peacock Cafe, Ray’s Barefoot Grill, Matilda’s Sweet Treats and the Bamboo Forest Snack Station, plus seasonal pop-up stands. Guests can toast their own s’mores, decorate sugar cookies, and ride the Evergreen Express train. The reindeer encounter on December 16 and 17 is the one date-specific extra worth planning a visit around if seeing live reindeer matters to your group.
Tips for your visit
Arrive close to the 5:30 p.m. opening if you want to see Santa’s Cottage and the train without a long wait, since the nightly window is only three and a half hours. Weekend nights in December draw the biggest crowds, so a weeknight during the December 16 through January 2 daily run is an easier visit if your schedule allows it. Dress for an outdoor Indiana winter evening, since the route runs outdoors between buildings, and strollers are fine on the ADA-accessible paths. Check the zoo’s site or social media before heading out in case of weather-related closures, and remember Wild Lights is closed December 24 and 25.
Explore more: every zoo and garden holiday light show for 2026, by state.
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Wild Lights at the Fort Wayne Zoo FAQs
When is Wild Lights 2026 at the Fort Wayne Zoo?
Wild Lights runs November 13, 2026 through January 2, 2027, open Friday through Sunday in November and early December, then nightly from December 16 through January 2 except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hours are 5:30 to 9 p.m. In its first season, 2025, the event ran November 28, 2025 through January 4, 2026.
How much are Wild Lights tickets in 2026?
General admission is $12 and Fort Wayne Zoo members pay $10, with the discount applied automatically at checkout when logged into a member account. Children age 1 and under are free. This matches the 2025 standard rate; in 2025 there was also a limited early-bird rate of $10 general/$8 members through November 9, 2025, but the zoo has not said whether a 2026 early-bird window will be offered.
Do you need to buy Wild Lights tickets in advance?
You can buy tickets online in advance through fwzoo.com or the Fort Wayne Light Fest site, or at the gate the night of your visit. Tickets are set for a specific date, so buying ahead is smart for busy weekend nights.
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Photo: Becker 1999 from Grove City, OH / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.