*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn from purchases made after clicking those links. Disclosure Policy.
Want to see the Christmas lights at the zoo in Columbia, SC?
The Christmas lights at Columbia’s zoo, previously called the Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks are now officially called Wild Lights. This year’s event will run on select nights from November 20, 2026 to January 10, 2027.
Unlike traditional light displays, the Christmas lights at Riverbanks Zoo are giant lanterns celebrating nature and wildlife, perfect for a zoo. They stand out from most holiday light displays, making them among the most distinctive and interesting in all of South Carolina.
Read on to learn what to expect for this year’s edition of Riverbanks Zoo’s Wild Lights based on our personal experience.
Wild Lights 2026: What You Need to Know
I’ll share a lot more about what to expect during the lights at the zoo at Riverbanks below, including tips and insight based on our first hand experience going ourselves.
However, I want to share the key details to plan your visit for this year’s Wild Lights here at the start in case you’re in a hurry!
Coming from out of town and need a place to stay? Check out my post on hotels near Riverbanks Zoo or search for hotels in Columbia.
What is Wild Lights?
I’ll cover in more detail below how the traditional Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks evolved into Wild Lights, but wanted to touch briefly on what to expect at Wild Lights here because it’s not your traditional Christmas lights at the zoo kind of event.
In lieu of strings of lights that show Santa, snowflakes, elves, and maybe some animals, Wild Lights features larger than life lanterns that depict different kinds of wildlife, including animals and plants. The light displays are not Christmas themed.
Children can visit Santa, and there are things like hot cocoa and cookies that still make the event feel Christmasy though. There are usually even a few snowflake lights. Just be aware that Wild Lights is not exactly your traditional Christmas lights show.
Christmas Lights at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC:
2026 Dates
Wild Lights opens on November 20, 2026 and concludes on January 10, 2027, but is not open every night during its dates.
It will be open the majority of the nights between those dates, with a few exceptions. More specifically, Wild Lights will be open the following dates:
- Friday November 20-Sunday November 22
- Wednesday November 25
- Friday November 27-Sunday November 29
- Wednesday December 2-Thursday December 3
- *Friday December 4: Brew Lights Event (ages 21+; different ticket)
- Saturday December 5-Wednesday December 23
- *Santa’s last appearance at the Columbia zoo Christmas lights will be December 23.
- Saturday December 26-Wednesday December 30
- Saturday January 2-Sunday January 3
- Wednesday January 6-Sunday January 10
In more practical terms, the Lights at the Zoo at Riverbanks will be open on weekends starting November 20. It will also open the day before Thanksgiving.
Then, it will be open most nights starting Wednesday December 2 until January 3. Friday December 4 is a special event known as Brew Lights that requires an additional ticket (more on it below), and it will be closed entirely on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day.
It will also be closed on Monday January 4 and Tuesday January 5 before reopening nightly until its final night on January 10.
There’s a handy color coded calendar on the zoo’s website here if it’s helpful to have a visual.
2026 Wild Lights Hours
On nights Wild Lights is open, it will be open from 5 pm to 9 pm.
Do note that during Wild Lights, the zoo’s daytime hours are usually reduced. Normally, they’ll close about an hour earlier at 4 pm to allow some cleanup and prep time for Wild Lights.
2026 Riverbanks Zoo Christmas Lights Ticket Information
Tickets for the Wild Lights 2026 will go on sale November 2, 2026.
As of the most recent update to this post, 2026 ticket prices have not been announced. I will try to update once the zoo announces or makes them available for purchase online after November 2.
For reference, generally prices are slightly cheaper on weekdays, the first few weeks, and after Christmas with slightly higher prices on weekends and the week of Christmas itself.
Based on other recent evening events at the zoo, such as the 2026 edition of Riverbanks Boo at the Zoo there will likely be the option to upgrade to an unlimited rides pass and rent out group igloos for additional fees.
Tickets also do often sell out for weekends and the days right around Christmas, so I recommend buying them not long after they go on sale if you have a specific date you want tickets for.
Does daytime admission include admission to Wild Lights?
No.
Wild Lights requires a special, separate ticket.
So, you can’t buy a ticket during the daytime, browse the zoo during normal hours and stay in to see the lights. You’ll have to exit and re-enter with a Wild Lights specific ticket.
If you do want to check out the zoo during the day, be sure to read my complete guide to Riverbanks Zoo here.
Riverbanks Wild Lights Discount Codes and Coupons
Keep in mind that the free daytime entry for members does not apply, and members will need to purchase a ticket to Wild Lights.
Members of the zoo do get discounted tickets (generally, a few dollars off) though.
Also, children under 2 are generally free to enter the zoo, even for special events like this. Do keep in mind that is a strict under 2, not 2 and under (in other words, 2 year olds pay).
I’m unaware of any other regular Wild Lights ticket discounts or discount codes for Wild Lights tickets.
Some businesses and corporate partners might be able to acquire discounted tickets, but even the top dollar membership tiers don’t get complimentary tickets to this event.
Brew Lights: December 4, 2026
On the night of December 4, 2026, the zoo will hold a new event for 2026 named Brew Lights.
Brew Lights at Riverbanks Zoo is basically a special adults-only version of Wild Lights, with entry only permitted to guests 21+ to enjoy some brews while they browse the 2026 Riverbanks Zoo Christmas lights.
Brew Lights will run from 7 pm to 9:30 pm only on December 4, and the zoo’s webpage says it will feature over 100 craft and local beers.
Tickets for Brew Lights went on sale, first as a members’ only presale, and then to the general public beginning in early October.
Standard ticket prices for Brew Lights are as follows:
- Members: $70 (presale from October 2)
- General Public: $80 (on sale from October 12)
VIP Access can be purchased for $130 for members and $150 for the general public. It includes:
- 1 hour early entry to Ndoki Plaza
- Catered light bites
- Open liquor bar
- Private restrooms
- Heated space
- Animal encounters
- Commemorative T-shirt
It’d be nice if they offered a bit more details, such as what the animal encounters are, to judge if that VIP admission is worth the extra 60-70 bucks.
Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo: What to Expect
Wild Lights is the current name of Riverbanks Zoo’s Christmas Lights event.
It’s held every year, usually starting in late November and running into the New Year. It’s, in essence, the Columbia zoo Christmas lights.
However, it’s not exactly your traditional idea of Christmas lights.
It features 60 handmade animal and nature themed lanterns, many of them larger than life.
Is Wild Lights the Same as Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks?
I have fond memories of going to the Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo with my grandparents as a kid growing up here in Columbia.
They were the most famous Christmas lights display around Columbia back then, and they featured lots of elaborate designs of strings of lights depicting Christmas themes with some animals and nature mixed in.
In 2023, the Riverbanks Zoo’s Lights Before Christmas was officially rebranded as Wild Lights, and morphed from a Christmas focus to an animal and conservation focus.
Instead of more traditional displays made from strings of lights, the displays now are giant lanterns in the design of animals and plants with a little bit of Christmas spirit mixed in.
It’s more like neat animal art that lights up at the zoo that just so happens at Christmas time instead of Christmas lights that just happen to be at a zoo.
According to this press release from the zoo at the time, the zoo’s CEO says the rebrand was a “fresh take on the holiday lights experience that will create a more meaningful connection to our mission of conservation.”
He continues that Riverbanks Zoo’s Wild Lights event is meant to “set us apart from the growing number of lights events around the Midlands.”
This story at WIS suggests the same with the zoo’s Public Relations Manager saying, “Wherever you look, there’s something really cool to see that you won’t see anywhere else around here.”
That makes sense, as there are other well regarded Christmas lights displays around Columbia now, such as the Fireflies Holiday Lights at Segra Park and the Christmas Lights at Saluda Shoals Park.
Also, well, lights showing nature and animals do make sense for a zoo.
Then again, maybe it’s all part of some nefarious War on Christmas, likely led by the koalas, secretly fomenting a subversion of American culture under their cute, cuddly exteriors.
Is It Worth It?
We actually went to Wild Lights in 2023 for our daughter Aaliyah’s first Christmas.
If I’m being honest, it wasn’t exactly what I expected based on those memories of going to the Columbia zoo’s Lights Before Christmas event in my own childhood, but we still enjoyed it.
It’s cool, and I do think offers something unique you won’t find anywhere else during the holiday season.
I’m not entirely sure we will make it an annual tradition either like we have for Boo at the Zoo, but I’m sure we’ll go at least every few years, and I think it’s definitely worth checking out if you’ve never attended or haven’t been since the rebrand.
If you’d like to attend, read on to learn more about what to expect.
What to Do and See at Riverbanks Wild Lights
So, now that we’ve clarified that this event isn’t exactly like the Riverbanks Zoo’s Christmas lights events of years past, let’s talk about what you can see during Wild Lights.
Animal, Nature, and Conservation Themed Lanterns
As noted above, many of the brightly colored and/or flashing light strings have been replaced by giant lanterns.
Most of those giant lanterns are in the shape of animals, but there are others with nature and conservation themes, like giant trees, and even giant fungi.
They are neat, and definitely do make this seem more like a zoo themed event than a Christmas themed event.
According to the zoo’s website, they are all handcrafted.
Many of the animal displays are life size or even larger than life size replicas of the animals they represent and show a cool and elaborate craftsmanship.
The displays are scattered throughout the zoo and all set up along the zoo’s normal walking path.
So, you’ll be able to stroll through the zoo much as you normally would during the day to see them.
Can You See the Animals During Wild Lights?
Not really.
It gets dark not long after opening time this time of year, and most of the animals are put away in the back area of their habitats for the evening once it’s dark.
The Koala Knockabout is usually open during evening events, so you can sometimes catch the koalas being more active than during the day.
We’ve also seen the sea lions during evening events, and occasionally see others milling about in their habitats.
However, most are not out and readily visible during evening events like Wild Lights and Boo at the Zoo. If you do ever want to see animals in the evening and you are a zoo member, many more are out during Riverbanks Zoo’s Members Night Out events.
So, my suggestion from experience is don’t count on seeing the animals.
Come during the day for that, and come to this to see the lights and perhaps be pleasantly surprised with an animal sighting or two during Wild Lights.
Oh, and do check out my guide to the animals at Riverbanks Zoo to plan your visit during the day, by the way!
See Santa
Yes, there is a Santa at Wild Lights.
According to the zoo’s website, visits with Santa are available through December 23, the last night the lights at Riverbanks are open before Christmas.
There’s generally a line for Santa, so you might either want to visit him right after opening or wait until a little later after the initial rush dies down and the line might be shorter.
It’s worth double checking when the zoo publishes this year’s event map on its site (there are always paper copies available at the zoo entrance too), but Santa should be at the covered event area with picnic tables on the backside of the zoo near the farmyard.
FYI, the bathrooms near here, right beside the farm, are the only ones with a family restroom that I know of at Riverbanks.
Snowfall
A nice snow machine is always fun for kids, at least here in not so snowy Columbia!
Wild Lights features nightly “snowfall” from machines.
Ride on the Carousel and Train
The carousel and train are always up and running during Riverbanks Zoo’s Wild Lights with some special decorations.
The train often runs on a different route in the main plaza just after the entrance during evening events.
These do have an additional cost by way of what the zoo calls Explore More credits, which you can purchase at stands nearby.
New for 2026’s Boo at the Zoo, the zoo sold wristbands for unlimited rides on the train and carousel for an additional $6 per person. That’s the price of 2 rides. So, it’s not a bad deal if you have kids that will definitely want to ride both the train and carousel.
There is currently no mention of unlimited wristbands on the Wild Lights page, but given it’s new for Boo at the Zoo this year, I would think there’s a good chance they will have them for Wild Lights too. I’ll try to update and confirm once ticket prices and info are available for 2026.
It’s worth keeping in mind that the unlimited wristbands that Explorer tier members get do not apply for evening events like Wild Lights.
We still love having that membership though.
If you’re interested in becoming a member or upgrading, do check out my post comparing Riverbanks Zoo’s membership levels to see why I think that higher tier membership is worth it if you have young children.
S’mores, Hot Cocoa, and Other Concessions
There are concession stands open during Wild Lights, but all of them may not be open every night.
Special offerings during the Christmas lights event at the Columbia, SC zoo include s’mores kits (there are little fire pits and s’more stations) and hot cocoa.
You can also get regular zoo snacks like funnel cakes, ice cream, Dippin’ Dots, pretzels, ICEEs, and sodas.
Tuskers Restaurant, the zoo’s main cafe and restaurant, is open nightly and serves burgers, chicken fingers, pizzas, and some salads and other meals.
Meanwhile, Wild Burger is generally open only on the weekend.
Oh, and there should be adult beverages like beer, boozy ICEEs, and even spiked hot cocoa on sale at a handful of the concession stands during Wild Lights (the Watering Hole between the monkey cave and the rhinos is your best bet for this).
Activities and Photo Ops
Besides Santa, there are sometimes other fun activities and special guests at Wild Lights.
So, check the schedule before you go to see if there is any you’d like to see.
There are also fun photo ops set up throughout the zoo, in addition to all the great photos you can get with the animal lights displays themselves.
Practical Tips for Wild Lights at Riverbanks
Ok, we’ve talked through what you can see at Wild Lights at Riverbanks and how to get tickets to this Riverbanks Zoo Christmas lights event.
Let’s talk about some additional practical tips that might help you get the most out of your visit to see the Columbia zoo’s lights before Christmas.
As I said above, keep in mind that Wild Lights will probably sell out early for weekends and the days immediately leading up to Christmas.
So, get your tickets early if you’re not flexible on dates.
Parking at Wild Lights
Let’s talk parking at Riverbanks Zoo’s Christmas lights event.
When you pull into the parking lot at Riverbanks, there are signs that mention a parking fee. However, in the 4+ years we’ve been living back in Columbia and going to the zoo, I’ve never seen anyone collecting it, neither during the day or during evening events.
I think they’ve just quietly included the cost of parking in the admission price.
So, while parking is free, it can fill up quick.
I’d would suggest arriving a bit before opening time so you can secure a relatively close parking spot and beat the line that forms at the entrance.
This is especially the case if you have young kids with strollers.
While it’s not that far or difficult of a walk, you do have to take elevators up and down the elevated pedestrian bridge from the overflow parking lot.
The main parking lot definitely tends to fill up quick for events like this, so you’ll probably need to park in that back lot if you don’t arrive early or right around opening time.
If you don’t care much about parking near the front and don’t mind staying until close time, another strategy might be to show up shortly after opening to avoid the initial rush and line at the gates.
You’ll probably have less congestion on the path as well since people have already walked around and are settling in to snacks, s’mores, and hot cocoa.
How Long to Plan for Wild Lights?
I’d say you can walk through the zoo and see all the lights in 60-90 minutes.
However, you’ll probably want to do do a more leisurely stroll, stopping for photos, and maybe getting a snack or hot cocoa. If you have kids, you’ll probably need to plan for at least somewhat of a line for Santa.
So, I’d suggest planning at least 2 hours to get the most of the event. I think we’ve stayed about 2 hours on our visits, albeit with a very young child.
Is Wild Lights stroller and wheelchair friendly?
Yes.
All of the displays are off the zoo’s main footpath, which is paved. There are a few slight inclines but noting very steep.
The path is wide enough to mostly prevent lots of crowding and backing up, but since people do stop for photos and there are usually lots of kids, you’ll want to keep an extra eye out to navigate your stroller or wheelchair through the crowds.
Riverbanks’ policy is no outside food or drinks.
I won’t advocate breaking the rules, but we’ve had water and little snacks like crackers and bananas in Aaliyah’s diaper bag and never had a problem. I probably wouldn’t try to bring in a pizza or your Christmas ham though.
Riverbanks does not allow smoking or vaping anywhere inside the zoo.
While this event is not exactly kid centric, it is definitely meant to be kid and family friendly.
So, well, expect a lot of kids.
Per Riverbanks policy, children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Keep in mind Columbia, SC weather can vary greatly this time of year. You might very well be able to show up in shorts, or you may need to be bundled up good.
So, check the weather and dress appropriately.
Ready to See Riverbanks’ Wild Lights Yourself?
Now you’ve got a complete guide to what to expect during Riverbanks Zoo’s Wild Lights, aka Riverbanks Zoo’s Christmas lights show.
I hope this guide was helpful in planning your own visit and that you enjoy it if you do go.
I’d love to know what you thought in the comments. Feel free to share any tips you’d give other visitors!
Cheers and Happy Merry Exploring!