‘A magical experience:’ How the Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari became a stunning attraction for 150,000 visitors each year

When the sun sets on the Oakland Zoo this month, a new set of animals will come to life.

Filled with thousands of LED lights, these illuminated lantern creatures — some as large as 25 feet tall and 65 feet long– will set the imagination on fire. It’s all part of the Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari, and its fifth year promises to be even more extravagant and interactive than before.

“With Glowfari, we tapped into something that was never before seen in the Bay Area,” says zoo president Nik Dehejia. “To see the zoo at night in a very different way, it’s a magical experience.”

It takes a year to produce each year’s illuminated menagerie, from idea generation to arrival at the Port of Oakland. If you’ve strolled the winding paths of the zoo in the last few weeks, you may have already spotted creatures getting ready for their closeups — this year’s Glowfari opens Nov. 8.

The zoo staff dreams up several themes each year, matching them with different areas of the zoo — California coastline fauna, for example, Madagascar flora, deep sea creatures, North American forest animals, alligator-filled swamps and a set of dinosaurs that proved so popular, they’re back for an encore.

Those fantastical creatures come to life at a warehouse in China, where 100 artisans spend about 50 days turning dreams to reality. Painters sketch creatures to fit each theme and its link to the zoo’s conservation efforts.

The glowing lanterns are pretty, to be sure, but the zoo didn’t just want animal-shaped lanterns. They wanted to connect with visitors in a more profound way.

“At one level, (Glowfari’s) just about coming at night, having fun with your friends and family, having hot chocolate, enjoying what you’re seeing at the zoo,” Dehejia says. “But for those who want to dive deeper, each area has a conservation connection.”

Back in China, metal workers weld immense 3D shapes, so electricians can wire in LED bulbs, before the frames are wrapped in a fabric skin. Then the artists return to add color and details that turn a simple shape into an alligator, a woolly mammoth or exotic bird that looks real enough to come alive, Jumanji-style.

“Thankfully, it’s a revenue share agreement with the company, so we’re not purchasing everything up front,” Dehejia says.

The enormous pieces of art are placed in shipping containers, 20 or 30 at a time, for the 50-day journey across the Pacific Ocean. Shipments begin arriving at the Port of Oakland in August. Once the shipments clear customs, a specialized production company takes the hand-off for the final countdown, installing power cables and prepping the lanterns for their debut. By October, gigantic octopi and fleets of penguins begin quietly appearing on the zoo grounds.

With more than 150,000 visitors each year, Glowfari has become a marquee event for the animal park, which uses the two-month festival to generate a healthy portion of the zoo’s $31 million operating budget and support its conservation efforts.