UTICA, NY—Due to several conditions pressed upon the zoo from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Utica Zoo has made the difficult decision to cancel the remaining “Bright Nights at the Utica Zoo” dates, effective Thursday, December 3, 2020. Due to the increased local infection numbers, it is safest for the zoo to take all precautions possible for their animals, visitors, volunteers and staff.
“We are extremely disappointed that we are forced to make this decision”, said Visitor Experience and Marketing Manager Mark Simon. “We were so pleased to see how much our visitors enjoyed opening weekend, so having to cancel the rest of the dates is really a decision that was not made lightly. We saw great success the first 3 nights ,and in a year where we are down over $1 million in revenue, it’s devastating to all of us who have worked so hard to provide this much needed dose of holiday spirit to our community to not be able to continue. It really is a shame; with the support of all of our amazing donors, including presenting sponsors Theresa Flemma and Jason Topi at Baird, Bright Nights was positioned to be a huge success.”
Despite the cancellation of Bright Nights, the Utica Zoo will remain open during the day from 10am-4pm, 7 days a week, closing only on Christmas Day. The Utica Zoo Gift Shop is also stocked with all of your holiday gift needs and a Utica Zoo membership is a gift that keeps on giving all year long!
All advance ticket purchasers will be contacted directly with more information.
For more information on this or anything Utica Zoo related, follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at
@UticaZoo or UticaZoo.org.
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Utica Zoo creates unique experiences and promotes public appreciation of wildlife through education, conservation and recreation. Located in
Roscoe Conkling Park, the Utica Zoo was established in 1914 as part of a recreational complex made possible by the donation of land from
Thomas R. Proctor. The zoo has grown from its beginnings of three Fallow Deer donated by the New York Zoological Society to its present
collection of more than 99 species from around the world.
