Press Release Archive

Contact:    Aimee Yamamori, Director of Media and Public Relations, Phoenix Zoo
                (602) 914-4305 or pager (602) 223-8222

Date:       November 13, 2006

15th Annual ZooLights Ready To Shine!

The Phoenix Zoo's wildly popular holiday light attraction, ZooLights Presented by US Airways, will open on November 23, 2006, and will run through January 7, 2007. ZooLights features more than 2.5 million animal-themed lights, hundreds of animal-themed light light displays and music throughout the Zoo. Each year, more than 250240, 000 guests visit the event.
 ZooLights will be open from 6-10 p.m. nightly (closed December 25). 
 The theme for this year's ZooLights event is "Patterns of Light in the Night" and it's all about what happens after the animals go to sleep!  Light and color create artful masterpieces all around us—on animals, in trees, on ice and in water. In addition to the return of Jengo the talking giraffe, this year's ZooLights will also feature:
  25 new lighted penguin displays
  The Ice in Lights Den featuring unique lighting, patterned images and falling snow, sponsored by Pulte Homes
  New three-dimensional light displays including stingrays, a huge rabbit and centipede
  Experience the new Stingray Bay every night at ZooLights
  Live Animal Encounters presentations Thurs-Sun. at 7 and 8 p.m.
  Photo opportunities with the Zoo's new live camels
  Carousel rides
  Wagon rides
  And, the always popular 'dancing trees' show with synchronized lights and music!
  A variety food and drink available for purchase
:Ticket prices for ZooLights are as follows:
-General gate admission:  $8
-General advance:  $7
-Zoo member gate:  $6
-Zoo member advance: $5
-Children two and under are free. Group tickets (50+) can be purchased in advance at a discounted rate.
-Separate admission fee for rides, Stingray Bay and Camel photos..
 Tickets are one sale now and can be purchased:
-at the Zoo's website, http://www.phoenixzoo.org/estore/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1037 
-at the Zoo during any regular daytime visit
-at the front gate at ZooLights
-from the ZooLights hotline at 602-273-1341
-non-member tickets at Valley Fry's and Fry's Marketplace stores
 Other ZooLights sponsors include 99.9 KEZ, Fry's and Fry's Marketplaces, CBS 5, Starbucks, Pulte Homes, SRP Earthwise Energy, and Ahern Rentals.  ZooLights proceeds benefit the private non profit Phoenix Zoo. The Zoo is located at 455 N. Galvin Parkway in Papago Park.

o How many people go to ZooLights?

ZooLights is the Phoenix Zoo's single largest multi-day fundraiser for our non profit zoological park.  More than 250, 000 visitors will attend this holiday favorite over the 44 days of the event!

o How many lights are featured at ZooLights?

We can only give our best estimate.  We've never counted each individual light, but it would be a fair guess to say that the Zoo uses about 2.5 million individual lights for ZooLights. Each tree can have as many as 12, 000 lights!

o How long does it take to install ZooLights at The Phoenix Zoo?

It takes a five-person, full-time crew 15 weeks to install. That's over 4, 200 man-hours!  Installation begins in mid-August and wraps up around the second week of November.

o What do you do when you are not working on ZooLights?

We work on ZooLights year-round!  The Zoo has a full-time staff devoted to the event throughout the year.  When we are not putting up or taking down the lights, we are planning and building features for the next year.  Just cleaning and maintaining ZooLights inventory is a job in itself. 

o How many new features will there be this year?

There are dozens of new light features and displays— and some include as many as 20 individual pieces.  We feature new lights and light displays each year for a new and different experience each ZooLights season.  Because ZooLights is designed, created and installed by Zoo staff, ZooLights is a one-of-a-kind experience unlike any other holiday light event.

o Can we see any animals?
Most of the animals rest at night and we cannot guarantee them for viewing. Some exhibit animals you might see include coyote, zebra, flamingo, bobcat, and javelina.  Photo opportunities will our new live camels will be offered and this year the new Stingray Bay experience is open as well. Live Animal Encounter presentations are offered Thurs.-Sun. at 7 and 8 p.m.

o What else makes your light show different?
ZooLights is one of the only venues to use a wide variety of lighting techniques that include gobo lights, black light, fiber optics, and mesh lighting.  The larges mesh nets over our trees were created and used first by the Phoenix Zoo!
It's also the Zoo's largest special event fundraiser, which is vital to our success as a private non profit zoological park. We receive no city or state tax funding and rely on revenue from events, admission, donations, private events and memberships.