Glowfari has returned to the Oakland Zoo, but ticket prices are higher this year and President Donald Trump’s tariffs are to blame.
Oakland Zoo CEO Nik Dehejia told KTVU that the LED lanterns, which are hand-crafted in China and imported months in advance, cost an additional $100,000 this year.
“Unfortunately, we got hit with tariffs,” Dehejia told the news station. “It’s hard to predict what’s going on in this economy, but no matter what it costs, we knew we had to bring it in. We need joy, we need some fun — and Glowfari brings that to the Bay Area.”
Dehejia the zoo absorbed most of the expenses, but ticket prices are slightly higher.
While some lanterns return from year to year, the zoo also commissions new lanterns for new exhibits each year. This year’s theme is “The Future of Oakland.”
Some lanterns are as big as 25 feet tall and 65 feet long. More than 100 artisans in China spend about 50 days working on the lanterns. The work is done through Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., a Chinese company that makes lanterns used in zoo festivals across the United States.
First, painters sketch creatures based on the theme. Metal workers then weld the 3D shapes, electricians write the LED bulbs and the frames are wrapped in a fabric skin. Artists finish them up with color and detail until the final products are packed and shipped across the Pacific Ocean. The zoo starts unloading and installing them up each August in preparation of a November opening.
“Thankfully, it’s a revenue share agreement with the company, so we’re not purchasing everything up front,” Dehejia told the Bay Area News Group last year.
The zoo brings in much of its revenue through Glowfari, an event that welcomes more than 150,000 visitors annually since it started six years ago.
Due to high demand, the ticket prices change daily based on demand and how far in advance you plan ahead. Zoo members, children and seniors get 10% off.
Glowfari began last week and will run through Jan. 25.
Details: Glowfari will run from 4:30-9 p.m. daily through Jan. 25 at the Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. Glowfari is closed on Nov. 10, 11, 17, 18 and 27, Dec. 24 and 25, and Jan. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, and 20. Glowfari tickets are on a plan-ahead pricing plan; buy early for a discount. There’s also a 10% discount for zoo members, children and seniors. Find more information at www.oaklandzoo.org.
