Ending a tradition that began 32 years ago, the San Diego Zoo said this will be the final summer for its Nighttime Zoo program, which gives late-staying visitors the chance to view animals in the evening and enjoy a lineup of special entertainment.
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Through Aug. 9, the zoo will stay open until 8 p.m., with activities and performances that begin at 3:30 p.m., including live music, dancers and acrobats. There are also meet-and-greets with larger-than-life wildlife puppets and appearances by animal ambassadors.
“Join us all summer long to soak up the last season of Nighttime Zoo,” the zoo says on its website. “You’ve celebrated with us for more than 25 years, and the curtains are closing on this family-favorite experience. But there’s good news! Debuting in 2027, we’re excited to welcome a brand-new seasonal festival — so get ready to make new generational memories over and over again!”
The zoo didn’t say why the popular program is ending. It’s also not clear what type of summer programming will be offered next year. A zoo spokesperson said the park isn’t ready to share plans.
The zoo is “planning to reimagine our summer festival at the zoo to offer new and exciting experiences for our guests,” but details are not yet available, spokesperson Jake Gonzalez said in an email. “Our team is putting the finishing touches on the vision, and we want to make sure everything is just right before we announce anything.”
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Nighttime Zoo was first unveiled in the summer of 1994, when the zoo and Safari Park, then known as the Wild Animal Park, each began offering experiences “under the stars” for visitors who stayed late. That first year, the zoo welcomed late visitors four nights a week but later expanded to seven days a week.
By summer’s end, the zoo proclaimed the experiment a roaring success, with the 10-week season attracting about 288,000 visitors after 5 p.m. — nearly triple the number expected. Visitors said they flocked to the zoo’s new hours to escape the heat, enjoy entertainment, and get better views of big cats, koalas and other animals that tend to be less active during the day.
That first year, curators closely monitored the animals to make sure the expanded hours didn’t cause problems. One change? The zoo brought their pygmy chimps into an enclosed sleeping area an hour before sunset after people noticed the animals were dozing off while on exhibit.
At the same time, the Wild Animal Park “set up tents and invited guests to stay overnight to camp, complete with dinner around the campfire and nighttime strolls,” offering a camping experience that had been discussed since the park opened in 1972. The Roar & Snore camping program has since grown into a permanent campground.
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