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A record 206,937 visitors attended the Toledo Zoo’s 2014 Lights Before Christmas, Nov. 14 – Dec. 31, 2014. This is the best attendance since the attraction opened in 1986, surpassing the previous 2012 record of 179,267 visitors.
One of the Zoo’s big Lights attractions was the new winter village, featuring live reindeer and an outdoor ice slide that coasted along the natural slope of the historic Amphitheatre. “We work hard to give Lights visitors exciting new experiences,” Jeff Sailer, executive director, said. “This year, the ice slide was especially popular, with more than 53,000 rides over six weeks.” Consistently mild weather through much of November and December also helped, he said.
An additional factor was downtown Toledo’s Winterfest, which kicked off on Dec. 26 and drew people to the city for family-friendly attractions.
The 2014 season kicked off on Friday, Nov. 14, with the ceremonial lighting of the Zoo’s 85-foot Norway spruce tree, which two organizations (Travelocity and Decoist) have named among the country’s best. Selected evenings featured carolers, ice carving, and family activities.
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