Exclusive HOLIDAY HAPPY HOURS for the 21-and-up crowd highlight two evenings during L.A. Zoo Lights, including "Flapjacks and Flannel" on Thursday, December 7 and "Tamales and Tequila" on Thursday, December 14. Both evenings feature "skip-the-line" express entry to L.A. Zoo Lights at 6 pm, with a private lounge from 6:30 to 8:30 pm including gourmet hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine and a signature cocktail, after which guests are welcome to experience L.A. Zoo Lights until closing at 10 pm. Tickets for HOLIDAY HAPPY HOUR are $75 per person and $70 for GLAZA members.
"Flapjacks and Flannel," sponsored by Bushmills' Red Bush Irish Whiskey, features a menu of fried chicken biscuit sandwich with honey-apple butter; banana, butterscotch and pecan silver dollar pancakes; pork belly grits; mini leek, potato, and goat cheese quiche; and shaved fennel and citrus salad. The evening's signature cocktail is Bushmills' Red Bush Maple Mint Julep, with Bushmills' Red Bush Irish Whiskey, maple syrup, and fresh mint. Media Sponsor KCRW will be on-site with lawn games and family fun.
At "Tamales and Tequila," which is sponsored by VIVA xxII Tequila, the menu includes chicken tamales with salsa verde; vegetarian tamale; Spanish rice and beans; pork pozole verde and assorted toppings; and anise and cinnamon churros & Mexican wedding cookies. "Tamales and Tequila's" signature cocktail is VIVA xxII Prickly Pear Margarita, with VIVA xxII Tequila, lime, and Desert Pear Syrup
L.A. ZOO LIGHTS, awarded USA Today's "10 Best Zoo Lights" honors in 2015 and 2016 - and currently nominated for 2017 --, returns for its fourth spectacular year to shimmer for seven weeks of wonder, awe and "wow!" through Sunday, January 7, 2018 (except November 23 and December 24/25) at the L.A. Zoo. Los Angeles' holiday "must" destination under the stars sets the Zoo aglow with LED lights by the thousands, a disco ball forest, glittering twinkle tunnel, stunning 3-D animated projections and much more. A burst of breathtaking new features raises the bar for awe-inspiring nighttime holiday delight, among them a dynamic, musical holiday tree experience, a reimagined water show, a glittering "North Pole" setting for Santa photos, glowing "Northern Lights" featuring animal constellations that come to life, and an all-new "Wild Wonderland" finale spotlighting endangered and vulnerable species. L.A. Zoo Lights was established by the private, non-profit Greater Los
Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) as a festive annual tradition to celebrate the Zoo's important role as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species, a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife and a special place for people of all ages in the world's entertainment capital.
An instant hit since its 2014 debut, L.A. Zoo Lights captivates guests for an ideal family outing, meet-up with friends or date night, offering a self-guided 60- to 90-minute walking tour through a large area of the Zoo. While most animal residents are asleep, visitors can enjoy the only opportunity in Los
Angeles to see a herd of real reindeer in their "Reindeer Village" habitat. Other live animals on view are a multitude of amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles in the LAIR, which also boasts black-lit "insects" scurrying above the rock walls. An inventive collection of animals depicted in lights range from frogs, meerkats, flamingos and monkeys to a glowing savanna with a "stained glass" condor, giraffe, elephant, polar bear, and rhino. Photos with Santa on select dates are available for an additional fee in a glittering "North Pole" setting to capture holiday memories, and the Zoo's hand-crafted
Tom Mankiewicz Conservation
Carousel is open during L.A. Zoo Lights, with $3 per person on-site tickets.
Sponsors of L.A. Zoo Lights include Service Systems Associates, 99 Cents Only Stores, SoCal Honda Dealers, Welk Resorts,
Cirque du Soleil's LUZIA and ScholarShare. Media Sponsor is KCRW. Denny's also joins as a first time sponsor and is offering customers who visit Denny's locations in the Greater Los
Angeles Area a free child's ticket to L.A. Zoo Lights with the purchase of two paid adult tickets starting November 13 through January 7.
Complete offer details available at Denny's locations.
The landmark Los
Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, drawing nearly 1.8 million visitors each year, is home to a diverse collection of 1,100 animals representing 250 different species, many of which are rare or endangered, as well as a botanical collection comprising over 800 different plant species with approximately 7,000 individual plants. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose members meet rigorous professional standards for animal welfare, the Zoo has achieved renown as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. Its responsibility toward wildlife conservation not only encompasses safeguarding the animals in its care but also actively participating in the preservation of some of the world's most critically endangered species and their habitats. Its many conservation successes include having led the charge in saving
California condors from extinction and restoring populations of these critically endangered animals to their native habitats. The Zoo's lush grounds on 113 acres feature Rainforest of the Americas, an extraordinary collection of endangered and exotic mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians living in spaces that exemplify their natural habitat in the rainforest biosphere; Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains, home to one of the largest troops of chimpanzees in the United States; Red Ape Rain Forest, where visitors can walk among orangutans; the LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles);
Elephants of Asia; Campo
Gorilla Reserve; and one of the largest flocks of flamingos in any zoo in the world. Among other highlights are an extraordinary, hands-on Hippo Encounter and face-to-face
Giraffe Feedings; the Winnick
Family Children's Zoo and Muriel's Ranch animal contact area; the
Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel; a variety of daily opportunities to learn more about animals, including close-up visits, special feedings and intriguing talks; and much more. The private, non-profit Greater Los
Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), which has supported the Zoo in partnership with the City of Los
Angeles for more than five decades and provides funding for and operates seven essential Zoo departments, has 60,000 member households representing more than 240,000 adults and children. As evidence of the Zoo's popularity, GLAZA attracts one of the largest membership bases of any cultural organization in Los Angeles.
Tickets for HOLIDAY HAPPY HOUR are $75 per person (ages 21 and up), or $70 for GLAZA members.
Holiday Happy Hour benefits require a separate ticket, even for Season Pass holders. All L.A. Zoo Lights events and evenings take place on a "rain-or-shine" basis, with no rain checks issued. Visit LAZoolights.org for details and to purchase tickets. To become a GLAZA member and receive discounted ticket pricing, go to
www.lazoo.org/membership or call
323-644-4747.
The Los
Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the
Ventura (134) and
Golden State (5) freeways, at
5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027,
323-644-4200. Free parking is available. For additional information about L.A. Zoo Lights, call
866-949-8007; call center hours are 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week. For tickets and more, visit LAZoolights.org
