Expect to find two hours of Christmas magic at Chester Zoo’s enchanting lantern parade.
The annual festive event sees the zoo transformed with specially created illuminated wildlife and animal characters.
It feels a little strange to go to a zoo and not see any real animals, but the lantern parade gives you a chance to see the zoo in a spectacularly new way.
There are allocated time slots running 20 minutes apart.
We went at 4pm just as it was beginning to go dark.
We took our four-year-old son and toddler daughter and from arrival when they were handed a mini lantern and met by performers in glowing zebra outfits, they were sold.
The route wanders the paths and bridges of Chester Zoo in the dark spanning nine different fantastical worlds, each one different to the last starting with the Moonlit Meadow where illuminated model animals ranging from a beautifully graceful giraffe to a big and beautiful elephant and the graceful cheetahs greet you.
We took our time as with each section we were blown away with the radiant sculptures and illuminated lights.
Each space feels different and more impressive than the last.
My favourite was the underwater world with its glowing jellyfish and giant octopus.
Young children were running between its legs and screaming with laughter as the octopus swayed to and fro.
My two stayed a healthy metre away - a bit wary but nonetheless fascinated.
They enjoyed watching the cheeky ostriches that pecked at their little heads before we entered the zoo’s enchanted woodland forest with its glowing flying eagle.
The frog in the tropical jungle had my little girl in stitches as it leapt up and down and the penguins were a treat too.
Along the way we were given 3D glasses that made the lights change colour when you looked through them and we treated ourselves to some hot festive drinks. The chocolate kebabs were also a hit.
The finale, and my son’s favourite, was meeting Rudolph at the end. Each family was given plenty of time to say hello and have pictures taken.
While there were no elves or Santa there to meet us at the end, we were not disappointed.
So was my four-year-old content to swap a genuine lion sighting for a glow-in-the-dark king of Africa?
Absolutely.
It was a wonderful Christmas extravaganza kicking off the festive season. The kids were still in awe an hour later and we’re already talking about returning next year.
The Lanterns are running on selected dates to December 23, with tickets starting from £5.50 per child and £10.50 per adult.
For more information and to book, visit www.chesterzoo.org .
