Animals Aglow Lantern Festival

The Chinese lantern festival Animals Aglow will return to illuminate the Saint Louis Zoo with dozens of new, towering lanterns and light displays this spring.

Running from March 12 to May 11, Animals Aglow celebrates the culture, art and beauty of traditional lantern festivals that have been celebrated in China for centuries. During the nighttime festival’s first year in 2024, more than 131,000 guests bought tickets to enjoy larger-than-life lanterns in the shape of plants, wildlife and mythical creatures.

This year, light displays include a 100-foot-long tunnel of traditional Chinese lanterns, an interactive beehive topped with giant hummingbirds and the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, which guests can enjoy along with nightly cultural performances and specialty food and drinks.

The festival will also spotlight wildlife from three regions – Africa, South America and the Arctic – as well as Chinese lanterns and folklore.