Philadelphia Zoo Announces Fantastical New Holiday Light Experience

Philadelphia Zoo (3400 W. Girard Avenue) announces the grand opening of LumiNature Presented by JP Morgan Chase & Co. opening on November 20, 2019. This giant-sized fantastical holiday-season light experience will transform the entire Zoo by taking guests on a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises - all designed to inspire and delight each and every night through January 5, 2020. LumiNature will feature 12 experiences that include hundreds of illuminated penguins, oversized bold-colored illuminated flowers, a 21-feet tall brilliant colored snake, giant cat eyes glowing in the dark of night, and a 25-foot tree made entirely of lit flamingo lawn ornaments! More experiences will be announced as Luminature's opening date approached. LumiNature will be Philadelphia's Zoo's first major night-time installation and also represents Philadelphia Zoo's first-ever major light and sound installation. Timed tickets for LumiNature will go on sale in mid-October at www.PhiladelphiaZoo.org.

"We are thrilled to bring LumiNature to Philadelphia Zoo," said Philadelphia Zoo Chief Marketing Officer Amy Shearer. "This tailor-made fantastical adventure brings the joy of animals, nature and the holiday season together in a way that will take your breath away. And of course, seasonal fare, strolling performers, unique retail, hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages will spark the holiday spirit in everyone. This is a first for Philadelphia Zoo and I can tell you, we are all very, very excited! LumiNature is made possible by the generous support of key donors excited to bring this one-of-a-kind spectacular to our region."

LumiNature will transform the Zoo from its daytime magic into a winter wonderland, immersing guests in a joyous multimedia light and music extravaganza. The project is a $3.5M investment, and has been in the works for over two years. LumiNature will return year-after-year and become a brand-new holiday-time traditional for tens of thousands of families and visitors.

Dancing lights, sounds and media throughout the Zoo will create magical illusions of big cats and peacocks coming to life; flamingos flocking on a 25-foot-tall tree; and all four seasons hosting their very own party. LumiNature is designed to inspire a sense of wonder and connection as all these elements come together in this first-of-its-kind experience - available nowhere else in America. LumiNature was designed exclusively for Philadelphia Zoo.

When LumiNature is opened, guests of all ages will flock to Philadelphia Zoo in the evening hours for exhibits, such as these:

* Flamingo Fancy: Guests will be surprised as they walk along brilliantly lit 8-foot pink flamingos forms when they encounter the most whimsical tree within LumiNature: a 25-foot tree made entirely of lit flamingo lawn ornaments!

* Snake Awake: Slither through brilliant purples, blues and greens as a giant snake slithers along beside you...and...every once in a while, a big illuminated mouse will appear suggesting a whimsical dance of a chase taking place.

* Big Cat Stalk: What do the big cats dream of? Maybe us! As you meander through this path of tall illuminated 'grass', the stalking eyes of these frisky felines will appear and disappear making you wonder if you are what they are dreaming of.

* Penguin Peace on Earth: Who better to say goodnight and wish every creature on our planet good will but penguins! Hundreds of illuminated penguins will fill the Zoo's lawn to bid guests farewell and wish them a very special holiday season in true Zoo fashion.
* Wonder of Slumber: Arrive at the Zoo and enter into a beautiful and dreamy setting of lit orbs and giant illuminated flowers.
LumiNature by the numbers will feature:

* More than 600,000 lights
* 6.5 miles of power cord
* 500 colorful illuminated flamingos and a 25 feet tall flamingo holiday tree
* 200 festively lit penguins
* 45 completely custom LED light structures
* 21 foot snake
* Much more to be announced!
"LumiNature is set to be the most unique and memorable holiday-season light extravaganza in the entire Philadelphia and tri-state region," added Shearer.

For design, Philadelphia Zoo teamed up with Oak Island Creative, an industry leader in bringing award-winning and innovative experiences to life to create this one-of-a-kind event.

"Oak Island Creative is proud to collaborate with Philadelphia Zoo to create something so unique. The entire design process has been incredible - the imagination, vision, and humor of the whole team has been extraordinary. Producing an event of this scale requires the power to dream combined with innovation and passion - we are just elated to be a part of creating LumiNature," says Oak Island Creative Vice President Creative and Strategic Development Scott Gasparich.

"We are delighted to be a part of bringing LumiNature to this city," said Chase Regional Director Michele Lawrence. "As we continue to build on the foundation that Chase has laid here, we're thrilled to work with Philadelphia Zoo to offer residents an extraordinary experience that the whole family can enjoy this holiday season."

LumiNature opens to the public on Wednesday, November 20th, guests must purchase timed-tickets at www.PhiladelphiaZoo.org. Prices are adults $24.00 and children $19.00.

Tickets and additional exhibits will be revealed in mid-October. Later in November look for additional information about seasonal fare, strolling performers, hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages that promise to spark the holiday spirit. Until then, visit Philadelphia Zoo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to follow the LumiNature transformation of Philadelphia Zoo.

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