Glow Wild

During these special evenings, all animal habitats will be closed to ensure the comfort and well-being of our animals. We can’t wait to welcome you for a vibrant celebration of lights, global cuisine, and cultural traditions. Your support truly helps advance animal care and conservation.

Join us at the Hub of Hope, located within The Pavilions, to witness cultural performances each night!

Lantern Riddles: Guess the nightly riddle and look for the related lantern!

Wildlife Wishes: What is your hope for wildlife? Reflect on an animal you care about and drop your token into the well.

Conservation Constellations: Make a pledge to care for a species or conserve resources!

Join us for Sensory-Friendly Nights as we turn the music down and lower various movement based visual stimuli around the Zoo. We will shed some light on our new KultureCity resources available at the Zoo to support more sensory-friendly experiences year-round, and you can connect with some of our community partners that offer social services, education services, and other supports for individuals and families such as: Community Support Services, Inc, El Valor, NAMI Metro Suburban, and West 40

Sensory-Friendly Nights:

• Thursday, March 26

• Thursday, April 16

• Thursday, May 7

Thursday, April 2

Traditional Chinese Lion Dance

• Community Partner: Chicago Chinese Cultural Center

• Times: 7 p.m., 7:45 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: The traditional Chinese lion dance is an ancient tradition that has been passed down through generations. Two performers work together in a display of expressive artistry and athleticism to mimic the movements of a lion. The story that is told indicates overcoming obstacles and sharing the hope of good luck and fortune.

Friday, April 3

Chicago Footwork Culture

• Community Partner: The Era Footwork Collective

• Times: 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• About: From Chatham to Tokyo, The Era's work calls attention to the history of Chicago Footwork across three generations of black dancers educating others on a rich culture of music, fashion, art, and dance that is uniquely Chicago-born.

Saturday, April 4

African-Influenced Music & Dance

• Community Partner: Najwa Dance Corps

• Times: 7 p.m., 7:45 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Najwa Dance Corps is a professional dance company devoted to the performance, production and preservation of the breath-taking diversity of African-influenced dance styles and techniques and how African American dance heritage and experience has influenced contemporary American dance.

Sunday, April 5

Traditional Chinese Lion Dance

• Community Partner: Chicago Chinese Cultural Center

• Times: 7 p.m., 7:45 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: The traditional Chinese lion dance is an ancient tradition that has been passed down through generations. Two performers work together in a display of expressive artistry and athleticism to mimic the movements of a lion. The story that is told indicates overcoming obstacles and sharing the hope of good luck and fortune.

Thursday, April 9

Traditional Chinese Lion Dance

• Community Partner: Chicago Chinese Cultural Center

• Times: 7 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m.

• About: The traditional Chinese lion dance is an ancient tradition that has been passed down through generations. Two performers work together in a display of expressive artistry and athleticism to mimic the movements of a lion. The story that is told indicates overcoming obstacles and sharing the hope of good luck and fortune.

Friday, April 10

Javanese Gamelan Music

• Community Partner: Friends of the Gamelan

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Friends of the Gamelan includes two ensembles with individually distinct sets of gamelan instruments, each respectively dedicated to Javanese and Balinese gamelan music and dance. Tonight, will feature the Javanese music ensemble, sharing traditional gamelan music from Central Java, Indonesia with Brookfield Zoo Chicago audiences. The meditative, chiming, and interlocking sounds you will hear are produced by bronze gongs, metallophones (saron, gender), drums (kendhang), and stringed instruments.

Saturday, April 11

Irish Dance

• Community Partner: Bentley Academy of Irish Dance

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: At the Bentley Academy of Irish Dance, students learn the culture, enhance their fitness, gain confidence, and have fun through the beauty and challenge of Irish dance.

Sunday, April 12

Cross-Cultural Music & Dance: India and Flamenco

• Community Partner: Surabhi Ensemble

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Chicago-based Surabhi Ensemble, a global music and dance group dedicated to cross-cultural collaboration, explores connections between Indian classical and Spanish flamenco traditions. The program features ragas and rhythm, bharatanatyam alongside Flamenco, percussive footwork and original works.

Thursday, April 16

Sensory Night

• Join us for Sensory-Friendly Nights as we turn the music down and lower various movement based visual stimuli around the Zoo. We will shed some light on our new KultureCity resources available at the Zoo to support more sensory-friendly experiences year-round, and you can connect with some of our community partners that offer social services, education services, and other supports for individuals and families such as: Community Support Services, Inc, El Valor, NAMI Metro Suburban, and West 40

Friday, April 17

Aztec Culture & Traditions

• Community Partner: Huehuecoyotl

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Huehuecoyotl means Ancient Coyote in Nahuatl, an indigenous language spoken in Mexico. Danza Azteca is an ancient tradition and inheritance of the descendants of Mesoamerica's first peoples. This prayer in motion helps people live a more balanced life - physically, mentally and emotionally.

Saturday, April 18

Multicultural Perspectives on Creative Repurposing

• Community Partner: Chicago Muslims Green Team

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Lanterns, like those found throughout Glow Wild, are symbolic across many cultures and world beliefs. Welcome to all, the CMGT inspires respect for all living things and seeks a balance with nature. Tonight, they will share how lanterns signify Eid for Muslims, integrating Arab, Asian, and Pakistani cultural perspectives and experiences. Learn some of the creative ways to upcycle and repurpose items and get involved in your communities.

Sunday, April 19

Peruvian Music & Dance

• Community Partner: Center of Peruvian Arts

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Join us on a cultural journey from the Peruvian Amazon to the Andean highlands. The Anaconda Dance, inspired by the traditions of Amazonian Indigenous communities, and The Llameritos de Cantería from Puno, a festive Andean dance portraying the life of highland shepherds and their ancestral relationship with llamas, showcase the contrast between Amazonian spirituality and Andean joy and highlight Peru’s rich cultural diversity and traditional folklore.

Thursday, April 23

Traditional Chinese Lion Dance

• Community Partner: Chicago Chinese Cultural Center

• Times: 7 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m.

• About: The traditional Chinese lion dance is an ancient tradition that has been passed down through generations. Two performers work together in a display of expressive artistry and athleticism to mimic the movements of a lion. The story that is told indicates overcoming obstacles and sharing the hope of good luck and fortune.

Friday, April 24

Native American Oral Storytelling Traditions

• Community Partner: Trickster Cultural Center

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Trickster Cultural Center increases the visibility of Native American traditions, Veteran contributions, and contemporary cultural arts, through community engagement, social advocacy, and collaborative education. With a focus on animals that are central to Native culture, tonight's presentation will feature oral storytelling traditions.

Saturday, April 25

Language & Cultural Immersion Story Times

• Community Partner: The Language Labs

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: The Language Labs presents an immersive cultural experience celebrating the beauty of global languages and traditions. Tonight's collection is entitled: Voices of Heritage & Harmony -- a celebration of cultural identity and the voices that preserve traditions around the world. Audiences will experience how language reflects the stories, artistic spirit, and traditions of cultures across the globe.

• Languages: Spanish, French, and Urdu

Sunday, April 26

American Tap Dance

• Community Partner: Chicago Human Rhythm Project

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP) empowers artists and communities to express culture and identity through rhythm and percussive arts deeply connected to the practices of ancient foot, hand and vocal rhythmic traditions as they continue to evolve as living, relevant contemporary art forms — including American Tap.

Thursday, April 30

Traditional Chinese Lion Dance

• Community Partner: Chicago Chinese Cultural Center

• Times: 7 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m.

• About: The traditional Chinese lion dance is an ancient tradition that has been passed down through generations. Two performers work together in a display of expressive artistry and athleticism to mimic the movements of a lion. The story that is told indicates overcoming obstacles and sharing the hope of good luck and fortune.

Friday, May 1

Ethiopian Dance & Culture

• Community Partner: The Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Centered in Chicago, rooted in Ethiopian hospitality, and open to all, the Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago empowers refugees and immigrants through education, employment pathways, and community-led programs. Celebrate Ethiopian and African cultures through dance performances and a traditional coffee ceremony.

Saturday, May 2

Cross-Cultural Music & Dance: Indian, Spanish, Mexican, Middle Eastern

• Community Partner: Surabhi Ensemble

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Chicago-based Surabhi Ensemble, a global music and dance group dedicated to cross-cultural collaboration and positive message of togetherness, presents a music and dance program connecting Spanish, Mexican, Indian and Middle Eastern traditions. The performance features maqam, elaborate rhythm, folklorico through live music and cross-cultural choreography.

Sunday, May 3

Storytelling through Dance

• Community Partner: Ishti Collective

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Ishti Collective is a collaboration-driven collective creating dance, music, and storytelling projects that engage artists and communities to generate meaningful dialogue and push the boundaries of their art. Drawing inspirations form diverse movement traditions and individual experiences, this process-driven approach creates live expressive narratives of care, resilience and belonging.

Thursday, May 7

Sensory Night

• Join us for Sensory-Friendly Nights as we turn the music down and lower various movement based visual stimuli around the Zoo. We will shed some light on our new KultureCity resources available at the Zoo to support more sensory-friendly experiences year-round, and you can connect with some of our community partners that offer social services, education services, and other supports for individuals and families such as: Community Support Services, Inc, El Valor, NAMI Metro Suburban, and West 40

Friday, May 8

Hawaiian Hula

• Community Partner: Halau i Ka Pono

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: Halau i Ka Pono - The Hula School of Chicago celebrates the living tradition of Hawaiian Hula. In three performances throughout the evening, our dancers will share the ancient art of hula — a practice of storytelling, prayer, and connection to the natural world. Through graceful movement and chant, hula honors the land, the sea, the sky, and all living things, making it a perfect complement to a festival celebrating light and hope.

Saturday, May 9

Language & Cultural Immersion Story Times

• Community Partner: The Language Labs

• Times: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

• About: The Language Labs presents an immersive cultural experience celebrating the beauty of global languages and traditions. Tonight's collection is entitled: Joy, Connection & Community -- a vibrant cultural celebration highlighting how language connects people across cultures and generations through traditions, shared experiences, and community.

• Languages: Spanish, Arabic, Ukrainian

Sunday, May 10

Traditional Chinese Lion Dance

• Community Partner: Chicago Chinese Cultural Center

• Times: 7 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m.

• About: The traditional Chinese lion dance is an ancient tradition that has been passed down through generations. Two performers work together in a display of expressive artistry and athleticism to mimic the movements of a lion. The story that is told indicates overcoming obstacles and sharing the hope of good luck and fortune.

Yes, the Zoo will be open for the normal 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. time and then will close to reopen for Glow Wild. Event will proceed rain, snow, or shine. All sales are final, and there are no refunds or exchanges.

Parking will be at the Main Entrance Parking lot only. The South Gate Parking lot will NOT be open for Glow Wild.

No, the Zoo will close at 4p.m. and all guests will have to exit before we open again at 6 p.m.

North Gate, South Gate, Pavilions, and the BZ Red Hots restrooms will be open.

During these special evenings, all animal habitats will be closed to ensure the comfort and well-being of our animals.

Yes! The Ferris Wheel and Carousel are FREE during Glow Wild. Guests can ride them multiple times.