Christmas at the Zoo and Indiana Rail Road Holiday Trainland December 5, 2008

This winter marks the 40th anniversary of this favorite event. Few people realize that the Indianapolis Zoo was the first zoo in the nation to host a holiday light event. Join us December 5-30 as the Zoo, covered in lights, brings the spirit of the season to Indianapolis. The Zoo opens at 12noon daily, and you can enjoy regular Zoo attractions and the Gardens from then until 9pm, while all the fun holiday activities on the Zoo side are available from 5-9pm. Christmas at the Zoo is closed on Christmas Eve & Day and on New Year's Eve.

Christmas at the Zoo is an enjoyable time of year for everyone, even the animals! All of the Zoo’s indoor exhibits are open and you’ll see another side of the animals that don’t mind the cooler weather. It’s easy to navigate between the indoor exhibits and holiday activities of Oceans presented by Old National Bank, the Dolphin Dome, Deserts biome, Santa’s Village presented by Starbucks, the fire pit, Critter Corner, and Indiana Rail Road’s Holiday Trainland in White River Gardens.

Special Activities
The kid in everyone will enjoy the additional activities that Christmas at the Zoo has to offer. Take in the holiday dolphin show and zookeepers chats. Listen to local school choirs or sing along with traditional carolers who will perform your favorite requests. Then, ride on the carousel, holiday train ride or festive 3D ride.

The Zoo’s gem this time of year is the enchanting Santa’s Village presented by Starbucks located in the North Pavilion. Be transported to a far away land to meet Santa, see a real reindeer up close, write a holiday letter, decorate cookies and put your wishes or blessings on a Lowe’s Wishing Tree.

Indiana Rail Road’s Holiday Trainland
Start or end your visit at one of the best holiday locations in the city – Indiana Rail Road’s Holiday Trainland in White River Gardens. Upon entering the Gardens’ Schaefer Rotunda, look up to see a beautiful, two-story tall tree decorated with ribbon, lights, and pinecones. The curved brick walls are lined with historic and beautiful artwork and posters promoting the grand old days of railroading. The Grand Hallway up the stairs is elegantly decorated and takes you to The Christmas Shoppe full of unique holiday gifts. At the end of the hall, conduct your own scavenger hunt and see if you can find a present, a cow, and more among recreated village and countryside scenes populated with model trains of different shapes, sizes and colors!

Two great tips for visiting the event are to come early and take you time. Weekday visits see lighter crowds than Friday through Sunday. Also, the Zoo opens at noon during Christmas at the Zoo, so come early, enjoy Trainland during the day, and then watch as the glow of the lights brightens as dusk descends.

Changing of the Lights
We are proud of this year’s 40th anniversary milestone and equally as proud of the direction the event is taking. In every aspect of the Zoo we are rethinking conservation. With the holiday lights, we have begun the major undertaking of changing out every bulb to its LED (light-emitting diode) counterpart. You will see in each of the coming years a new section of the Zoo filled with the brighter, crisper lights. There’s no doubt you’ll see the difference that even Scrooge would appreciate!

Official Website: http://www.indyzoo.com