Chester Zoo has revealed more details about its annual Christmas event – The Lanterns - promising to be its biggest festive celebration ever.
A new animated video has also been unveiled showing a magical Christmas sorting office coming to life as twilight falls across the zoo.
The event will see families invited into a lantern-lit fairy tale world.
The illuminated journey through the zoo will also be filled with theatrical performance, dance and live music.
Young visitors can even bring along their very own letters to Father Christmas and post them at the magical sorting office.
The new route will be filled to the brim with sacks of toys and presents and will see visitors venture through the zoo at night, under lights and past a whole host of illuminated life-sized animal lanterns.
Father Christmas and his helpers will also be at the zoo, hard at work ensuring that all of the Christmas wishes can come true.
Visitors will be able to journey through Antelope Narnia or relax at the Flamingo Lounge cocktail and mocktail bar.
A Spectacled Bear Airship and an Insect Orchestra are just some of the large scale additional displays at this year’s event.
Now in its sixth year, The Lanterns at Chester Zoo has become a traditional occasion on the festive calendar.
This year’s edition has been revamped to be more magical than ever before – with a few new surprises along the way.
Head of discovery and learning at Chester Zoo, Charlotte Smith, said: “Christmas at the zoo is always very special, but this year it’s going to have an extra sparkle as we’ve created a brand new trail through the zoo, which will be transformed into a world full of illumination and spellbinding adventure.
“Families will have the opportunity to explore and discover new colourful characters in an animal-inspired fairy tale, revealing the charming story of the zoo’s magical sorting office. Be sure to bring along your own letters to Father Christmas!
“We’ve released more tickets and dates than ever before to give families the chance to experience The Lanterns as it’s the perfect festive treat for all generations.”
For the first time ever, this year’s event has been created by the zoo in partnership with outdoor arts producers Wild Rumpus, award-winning specialists in creating extraordinary worlds and telling incredible stories for all ages.
Early booking online is recommended.
Tickets for the event, which is running from November 24-December 30, range from £12-£17.50 for adults and £5-£15 for children. Infants aged two and under are free.
Book online at www.chesterzoo.org/lanterns
Ticket sales from The Lanterns help to fund Chester Zoo’s work as a conservation, fighting to prevent the extinction of threatened species at home in the UK and around the world.
