Come and be a part of all the exciting activities taking place throughout the year at the Edmonton Valley Zoo. Learn about the animals in their habitats while you play and have fun!
Date: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays starting December 5
Additional weekday dates December 12 - January 4
Time: 4:30-10pm
Zoominescence 2025, presented by The King’s University, will stage a spectacular exhibition of artistic light installations within the unique setting of the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
The festival begins December 5 and runs every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening, with additional weekday evenings between December 12 – January 4 (excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). Hours are 4:30-10pm. Join us for an evening of light, love, animals, and holiday fun for the whole family!
Tickets are available online at MoveLearnPlay.
Purchase Zoominescence Tickets
Please note, the last admissions will be taken at 9pm.
Dates: November 1-23
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure! Between November 1-23, receive a free child admission with the purchase of every adult or senior admission. Explore amazing exhibits, meet incredible animals, and create lasting memories — all for the price of one ticket!
Purchase your tickets at the gate.
Hours of operation are Thursday through Sunday and holidays from 10am-4pm.
Terms and conditions apply. Offer valid between November 1-23, 2025, and does not apply to Zoominescence.
For November, we are celebrating the week of World Bison Day with Alberta’s foremost expert on Bison.
Date: Thursday November 6, 2025
Time: Doors open: 5pm; Talk starts: 5:30pm; Event ends: 7pm
Cost: Free
Join us for this fascinating talk with Wes Olson, (with stunning images by conservation photographer Johane Janelle), as he describes the evolution of bison in North America, from their first European appearance about 1.77 million years ago, through each of the succeeding extinct species, to the plains and wood bison of today. Wes will describe how the aspen parkland ecosystem, along the North Saskatchewan River valley helped to direct the evolution of modern plains and wood bison and will describe some of the physical and behavioural differences that allowed them to adapt and thrive in vastly different ecosystems.
Wes worked for more than 32 years with bison as a National Park Warden and private bison rancher. He has developed an international reputation for his knowledge of both plains and wood bison and has the unique ability to combine his extensive scientific knowledge of bison with his talents, using graphite, watercolour, oil painting, and mixed medium artwork to capture bison and other wildlife in their natural environments.
Hosted in the Wild Neighbors Café in the Zoo’s public plaza, admission to the zoo is not required for this event. Seating is limited in the café, but we will work to reserve a chair for you.
RSVP for Spilling the Beans Event
We look forward to seeing you there!
Conservation Talks
Join us in October and November for these conservation events:
- November 6: Spilling the Beans Evening Talk about Bison
- December: No conservation talk this month, but don’t forget to get your tickets for Zoominescence
Daily Animal Talks
Looking to get closer to some of our animals? Join us to meet and learn about one of the fascinating species that lives here at the zoo!
Animal Talk Daily Schedule
Effective November 4 - November 23, 2025
| Time | Animal Talk | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10:30am | Red Panda Talk | Red panda exhibit |
| 11:30am | Seal Talk | Polar Extremes |
| 1:30pm | Birds of Prey Feeding | Birds of prey exhibit |
| 2pm | Sloth Talk | Saito Centre |
| 2:30pm | Carnivore Talk of the Day | Inquire with Guest Services |
Please note: all activities are subject to change.
Events Admission
General admission applies to all events unless otherwise indicated. All activities are free with general admission. Annual Zoo Membership Passes and Leisure Access Passes can be used for events that occur during regular operating hours.
Hours
Effective October 14 - November 23, 2025
| Monday |
Closed |
| Tuesday |
Closed |
| Wednesday |
Closed |
| Thursday |
10am-4pm |
| Friday |
10am-4pm |
| Saturday |
10am-4pm |
| Sunday |
10am-4pm |
Statutory Holidays: 10am-4pm
The last admission window is an hour prior to closing time. The zoo will be cleared at the closing time listed.
Valley Zoo Development Society Events
The Valley Zoo Development Society, our non-profit society, also runs evening fundraising events at Edmonton Valley Zoo. These events, such as ZooFest, the Zoolander Fashion Show, Zoo Brew and Zoominescence, are coordinated through the Valley Zoo Development Society.
Interested in Other Events?
Muttart Conservatory Events
Sir Winston Churchill Square and City Hall Plaza
Commonwealth Stadium Events
Contact Us
Edmonton Valley Zoo
Email attractions@edmonton.ca
Phone 311 | Outside of Edmonton: 780-442-5311
Address 13315 Buena Vista Road NW, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2R7