May 20, 2022

Wild Lights Festival

Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines, Iowa

I remember seeing the Wild Lights Festival at the Blank Park Zoo being advertised last spring, but I never made time to go see it. Being back in Des Moines and seeing the festival advertised again I knew I had to find a time to go. I’m certainly glad I did. The lighted sculptures are truly amazing and cover the entire zoo property. I looked forward to photographing the sculptures, but was a little anxious as I didn’t know how the pictures would turn out. In the end I was very pleased with the pictures.

I did learn a lesson. The festival opened at 7:30 p.m., I arrived about 8:00, the parking lot was full and the zoo was filled with families with small children. I walked around, took a few pictures, but mainly just scoped out where all the sculptures were located. Around 8:30 I bought myself a Coke and a sack of chips, sat down and waited 30 minutes for it to get dark out, hoping many of the small children would be gone. It worked. By 9 p.m. there were fewer people taking in the sites, and the sculptures really popped after dark. If I get a chance to go again I will wait until 8:45 or 9 to make my way to the festival.