Midwest Zoo Holiday Lights Events

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Wisconsin December 1, 2021December 14, 2023Brookfield Zoo Holiday Magic, Christmas at the Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, Columbus Zoo, Festival of Lights, Holiday lights, Indianapolis Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo Lights, saint louis zoo, St. Louis Zoo, wild lights, zoo holiday lights, zoo lights 0 Comment

Christmas festivals at zoos have become huge holiday attractions. In the Midwest alone, at least eighteen zoos celebrate with holiday lights, carols, animal shows, and even ice skating rinks. Brookfield Zoo, Chicago’s oldest holiday zoo event, is celebrating its 42nd year in 2023. But the very first zoo holiday lights event in the nation was Indianapolis Zoo’s Christmas at the Zoo, which dates back to 1967!

Many other zoos have hopped aboard the holiday festival train over the years. Here are a few highlights of eighteen Midwest zoo holiday lights events for 2023, listed by state:

Du Quoin Holiday Lights Fair: Drive-Through Lights, Indoor Festival

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois November 27, 2021December 2, 2023best Christmas lights, best holiday lights, Christmas light displays, Christmas lights, Christmas lights outdoor, Christmas outdoor lights, Du Quoin Holiday Lights, Du Quoin Holiday Lights Fair, Du Quoin lights, duquoin fairgrounds, duquoin fairgrounds events, duquoin state fairgrounds, fairgrounds events, Holiday lights, Illinois Christmas lights, Illinois holiday lights, Illinois holiday lights 2015, large outdoor Christmas lights, outdoor Christmas lights, outside Christmas lights, xmas lights 4 Comments

When I was a kid, we had a family tradition of piling into the station wagon during the Christmas season and driving around town, oohing and aahing at houses decked out in lights. We’ve continued the Christmas lights tradition as adults, only now we don’t drive around neighborhoods looking for homes decorated Griswold style. Instead we find one or two big displays put on by zoos, towns or civic organizations. This year we discovered a winner with the Du Quoin Holiday Lights Fair in southern Illinois. Not only does Du Quoin display an awesome drive-through lights show; they include a big indoor fair, as well.