Lincoln’s Favorite Holiday Tradition
By Nathan Lake
Holiday spirit is strongest when you can share it with family and friends. Each winter, thousands of people come to Zoo Lights Powered by LES to make memories beneath the lights. It’s become where families capture the photo that ends up on the Christmas card, and where new chapters begin each year with marriage proposals inside the crystal ball and cathedral tunnel of lights.
“I’m lucky enough to see how, each year, this event brings so many people together, and we are so happy it’s become a holiday tradition for Lincoln,” says Sarah Wood, Chief Operating Officer, Lincoln Children’s Zoo.
Sarah Wood, Lincoln Children's Zoo, and Kelley Porter, LES
“When you see people enjoying holiday magic and spending time with their loved ones, there’s not a better feeling in the world.”
A Holiday Idea Finds a Home
The event began in 2019, and it’s always been a partnership between Lincoln Children’s Zoo and Lincoln Electric System (LES). Kelley Porter, Communications & Public Affairs Manager at Lincoln Electric System, says its team initially explored a holiday tree-lighting event, but space and logistics prevented the concept from moving forward. “We couldn’t have asked for a better partner than the Lincoln Children’s Zoo to create something families could look forward to each year,” Kelley shares.
Lincoln Children’s Zoo develops and operates the Zoo Lights experience, with the Horticulture team beginning installation in July, the Communications team leading marketing, and the Guest Experience team running the event each night. LES also provides specialized installation help, including hanging lights in two large trees and placing the Zoo Lights sign on the gift shop roof.
Months of Work
You might be surprised to know that work on Zoo Lights Powered by LES begins in July, long before most people are thinking about Christmas lights. Tree wrapping alone can take countless hours as crews spiral strands up trunks and out onto branches. LES line technicians drive in bucket trucks and help with signs and lights, and its team members plan fun activities to engage and educate attendees. The Zoo also works with students from Lincoln Public Schools’ Independence Academy, a program for students with disabilities, who help prepare bulbs for fencing and other displays.
As opening night gets closer, the project becomes a Zoo-wide effort. Sarah explains that all employees, including Lincoln Children’s Zoo CEO Evan Killeen, head outside to help the Horticulture team finish. Other displays call for specialized skills. “The fountain show we developed a few years ago required our facilities team to hand-build and weld frames that created the illusion of illuminated water,” Sarah shares. “All of the work is done in-house.”
That hands-on approach continues once the displays are built. Sarah selects the music for the synchronized shows, then works alongside a lighting programmer to refine the timing, movement, and color until each sequence feels right.
Big Numbers, Familiar Traditions
Zoo Lights Powered by LES has grown substantially since 2019. Last season, the event welcomed a record 77,252 guests, who consumed more than 7,000 s’mores and 3,000 cookies. Sarah’s favorite stat is truly delicious: guests drank over two million ounces of hot chocolate last year. The Zoo doesn’t count every single bulb, but nearly all of its 20 acres are illuminated. “When people talk about the experience, we see that it's a real sense of pride for our community,” Kelley says. “It’s great to be a part of something that people look forward to every year.”
The favorites people return for are often most familiar: the holiday train, warm white lights on the historic side of the Zoo, hot chocolate, s’mores, and familiar Christmas music. Kelley explains: “The team at Lincoln Children’s Zoo does a great job of giving the event a sense of familiarity, while adding new displays to discover.”
A Whole Lot Of Holiday Cheer
In 2025, Zoo Lights Powered by LES welcomed a record-setting season of holiday fun.
23,431 train rides
3,041 cookies
7,081 s'mores
2,080,906 ounces hot cocoa
What’s Ahead in 2026
This year, Zoo Lights runs Nov. 20 through Dec. 30, excluding Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Guests can expect choreographed light shows, hanging vine lights, light tunnels, more than 30 illuminated animal silhouettes, holiday train rides, and seasonal treats. New this year, guests 21 and older can enjoy a variety of alcohol options each night, including spirited cocoa, cider, wine, and beer. An all-new light show will also debut this season, with a surprise in store for guests of all ages.
For all the lights, planning, and record attendance, the moments that matter most are the ones visitors make their own. “I love seeing couples walking beneath the cathedral tunnel and children pointing toward a favorite display,” Sarah says. Kelley agrees: “The community focus is so special, and it’s great to see more local businesses joining forces to help the event grow.”
By the time the lights come on, the months of work behind Zoo Lights disappear into the experience. Whether you’ve made it part of your holiday tradition for years or are visiting for the first time, take a closer look at every detail. You may discover that what stays with you most is not the glow of the lights, but the memories created beneath it.