GloWILD opened at the Little Rock Zoo on October 29, the earliest start the lantern festival has had, and it runs nearly 50 nights through January 3, 2027. The early opening was deliberate: it puts the first weekend of the event on Halloween weekend.
“GloWILD has become a special tradition for families, and we’re excited to make this year’s opening even more memorable,” said Zoo Director Susan Altrui. “Opening on October 29 gives guests the chance to celebrate Halloween weekend with a little extra glow.”
What is actually in it
The route runs through three themed areas: Animals, Flowers and Winter Wonderland. The s’mores area is back by request, and the zoo has added Glo-themed sweets, specialty drinks and seasonal libations available only during the event.
New this year, the first week is fall-themed rather than wintry, with mascots, costumed characters, costume contests and live music.
What it costs
General admission is $22.50 a person, $19.50 for zoo members. A family four-pack is $72, or $64 for members. Children under three are free.
The number worth pulling out is the access rate: guests with a current SNAP or EBT card and a matching photo ID can buy up to six admissions at $10 each at the gate. That is under half price for a party of six, and it is the sort of provision that tends to be buried at the bottom of a release rather than led with.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and the last admission is 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available in advance or at the gate.
Who pays for it
GloWILD is presented by Be Well Arkansas, a program of the Arkansas Department of Health, and made possible by the Arkansas Zoological Foundation, the zoo’s fundraising arm. The sponsor list runs long after that, from the Stoneburg Family and the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau through a bank, a law firm, a scrap metal company and a blood bank.
That list is the answer to a question people reasonably ask about seasonal events at a public zoo, which is who they are for. A lantern festival on this scale is a revenue event, and the revenue goes to the animal care and conservation work that admissions alone do not cover. The Little Rock Zoo has had a substantial year of that work, including the Project Zoo: Wildly Reimagined construction nearing its final phases near the front entrance.
The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Fifty nights is a long run for an event of this kind, which means there is no particular reason to fight the December crowds: the lanterns are up until the third of January.
Source: Little Rock Zoo, “Little Rock Zoo Holiday Tradition Shines Brighter and Earlier,” November 2, 2026.
Quick answers
- When does GloWILD 2026 run at the Little Rock Zoo?
It opened on October 29, 2026 and runs through January 3, 2027, close to 50 nights. Doors open at 5 p.m. and last admission is 8:30 p.m.
- How much does GloWILD cost?
General admission is $22.50 per person and $19.50 for zoo members. A family four-pack is $72, or $64 for members. Children under three are free.
- Is there a discount for SNAP or EBT cardholders?
Yes. Guests with a current SNAP or EBT card and a matching photo ID can buy up to six admissions at $10 each at the gate.
- What is in GloWILD?
Three themed areas of lantern displays: Animals, Flowers and Winter Wonderland, plus interactive games, a s'mores area and event-only food and drink. The first week was fall-themed, with mascots, costumed characters, costume contests and live music.
- Who presents GloWILD?
It is presented by Be Well Arkansas, a program of the Arkansas Department of Health, and made possible by the Arkansas Zoological Foundation.
