Wild Lights preview: An enjoyable spectacle but is it too expensive for families?

Wild Lights opens at Dublin Zoo this weekend and Denise O’Donoghue had a sneak peek at what’s on offer this year at the popular event

Wed, 26 Oct, 2022 - 06:00

Denise O’Donoghue

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been to Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo before. Pictures and videos from the 2021 Wild Lights seemed to permanently feature in the Instagram stories I viewed last winter and gave me a huge dose of FOMO.

So when an invite to preview this year’s event in Dublin appeared in my inbox I took it as a sign from the universe and hopped on a train from Cork to brave the wind and rain with the Dublin branch of my family and, crucially, see what all the fuss is about.

If, like me, you are travelling to Dublin for the spectacle I recommend getting the train. Heuston is comfortably near the Zoo and it was an enjoyable walk that was quicker than anticipated. Google Maps estimated a 20-minute walk from the station to the zoo – I made it in just over 10. From afar I could see the colourful lights bleeding into the clouds and drizzle so I had no doubt about the direction I was heading in.

This year the theme is The Magic of Life and all walks of life are represented along the route, from buzzy bees and slimy snails to slithering snakes and prowling tigers.

Benjamin Cassidy (4) encounters a spider at Wild Lights. Picture: Patrick Bolger

Biodiversity is at the core of the theme and along the route we found illuminated information boards on everything from the hierarchy of a beehive to the life aquatic. If you can peel your eyes off the one thousand lanterns around you there is an important message about biodiversity, pollinators and Planet Earth being shared amid the dazzling lights.

All around me wide-eyed children oohed and ahhed as they discovered more creatures, particularly spiders portrayed in giant proportions and a massive snake with its head swaying hypnotically from side to side as we passed beneath it.

Adults too were mesmerised – perhaps a little more than the kids with them – by the lights and the stories being told around them. I heard more dads excitedly pointing out what they could see than I did children, and there were pitstops aplenty for selfies with some gorgeous backdrops. Expect delays in some parts for this reason (a spectacular and massive beehive was one such bottleneck soon after arriving).

Ailis Gallagher, aged nine, at Wild Lights. Picture: Patrick Bolger

While the ecosystem is a big talking point these days, so too is the economy and the cost of living. I overheard some other visitors I passed along the way echoing the same thought in my mind: how much does it cost to keep the lights on this year? Organisers say the event is powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), derived from 100& renewable raw materials and it is not powered by the national energy supply.

As our own bills rise many are feeling the pinch. As spectacular and enjoyable as Wild Lights is, I’m surprised there is no family ticket option when booking – particularly given the squeeze many families are feeling financially this year. This means tickets for a typical family unit of two adults and two children will set visitors back €84, compared to a more affordable €52 for the same group under a family ticket for Dublin Zoo. Holders of an annual pass for Dublin Zoo can make some savings, but not much: two adults and two children will cost €76. It is worth noting, however, that children under three can go in for free, which is the same for Dublin Zoo.

The question on everyone’s lips is whether Wild Lights is worth the entrance fee this year. I can’t speak for previous events (though my companions, adults and children, say they preferred last year’s offering) but I can’t see as many families attending as in previous years.

It is a beautiful event with an important message about biodiversity but it is such a luxury at a time like this. I think the introduction of a family ticket would help greatly but while Phoenix Park is spectacular after dark, I don’t doubt many families will choose to put that money towards keeping their own lights on at home this winter instead.