Psychedelic trail of glowing lanterns transforming major Toronto destination

The Toronto Zoo is transforming part of its sprawling grounds into a nighttime trail packed with thousands of illuminated animal displays for the debut of its Glow in the Wild attraction.

The new experience, which takes guests through the Americas, Australasia and Core Woods, aims to offer a completely different way to experience the property after dark.

The new after-hours experience takes visitors on an approximately 1.5-km outdoor walk through sections of the zoo, with giant lantern installations and light displays, making for plenty of photo-ops along the path.

Along the trail, visitors will encounter more than 2,000 handcrafted lantern displays — 90 per cent made from recyclable materials — inspired by animals, nature and cultural stories.

Map of the Glow in the Wild path. 

The installations offer more than just pretty lights, though. One of the event's main attractions focuses on the endangered Blanding's turtle, a display developed with an Indigenous artist, which uses lantern art and storytelling to educate passersby on the species and the importance of protecting vulnerable wildlife.

Since the entire experience takes place outdoors, you'll want to plan your visit accordingly. The event will continue through a range of weather conditions, including rain and snow, and considering the route covers roughly 1.5 kilometres, visitors should be prepared for a substantial outdoor walk.

Parking is always available on site for those driving to the attraction. But for anyone taking transit, a temporary TTC shuttle operates on Route 200 between Meadowvale Loop and the Zoo. The service is expected to run every 10 to 15 minutes, beginning half an hour before Glow event times and continuing for about 30 minutes after the event.

Please note that this temporary Glow shuttle schedule won't appear on the regular TTC website.

Glow in the Wild opens on Wednesday, Sep. 2, 2026, will run Thursday to Sunday until Jan. 3, 2027, with extra dates to be added around the December holiday period.

Hours of the attraction vary by date; the earliest slot guests can purchase is 6 p.m., and the latest is 9:15 p.m., so visitors should check the ticket calendar for available entry times.

The Zoo recommends booking ahead, particularly for popular nights and the holiday season. Tickets are $38 plus applicable taxes and can be purchased directly on the Toronto Zoo's website.

It should also be noted that Glow in the Wild admission is separate from regular daytime Zoo admission. Anyone visiting during the day who wants to return for the evening event must leave when normal zoo hours end and return with a valid Glow in the Wild ticket.