The Karlsruhe
Festival of Lights
August 22 and 23, 2025
The Karlsruhe Zoological Garden will once again shine in glorious colors this year!
The traditional festival of lights with thousands of candles, LEDs and lanterns is now in its 49th edition this summer.
The Festival of Lights is an event organized by the Karlsruhe Horticultural Office and Karlsruhe Zoo with the support of KME Karlsruhe Marketing und Event GmbH.
Review
Program 2023
The Festival of Lights started at 3 p.m. on both days with a colorful program for young and old. From 7 p.m. the Zoological City Garden began to glow. Dolphins, colorful glowing cones and an elephant accompanied the Gondoletta boats on their journey across the Schwanensee and Stadtgartensee lakes. A glowing peacock, a Japanese temple and a dragon gave the public a special park experience. A trip on the Gondoletta was especially wonderful on these evenings. The many lanterns, lights and illuminated figures could be admired impressively from the water. A Mississippi steamer also shone in the Stadtgartensee and the Gondoletta was in operation until 11 p.m. on Friday and until midnight on Saturday. There was also a large, additional gastronomic offer spread across the park. Drinks and food were served until 11 p.m. on both days.
Program on Friday,
August 18, 2023
15:00 - Start of family party
-
19:30 to 22:30 - Soulcafé
Funk & Soulband from Karlsruhe - Fine grooves, crisp funk and soulful jazz -
15:00 to 15:30 - Magically beautiful
Children's magic show with magician Ernestin16:00 to 16:30 - Parastu
Magical children's show17:00 to 17:30 - Magically beautiful
Children's magic show with magician Ernestin18:00 to 18:30 - Parastu
Magical children's show -
19:30 - 22:00 - Handmade
The band celebrates old rock classics - "History of Rock" is Handmade's slogan -
15:00 to 19:00 - Solar lamp workshop
Solar lamps can be made with the KUNSTBOX event service
Program on Saturday,
August 19, 2023
15:00 - Start of family party
-
19:30 - Seebühnen-Cocktail
Performers: Gaby Baginsky (pop singer), Perry Paul (ventriloquist and presenter), Daniel Hochsteiner (speed juggler), Mister Black and his animal friends (magic show with animals), Manuela Mücke (artistry), Strange Comedy (artistry & comedy), Marching Band Waldbronn -
15:00 to 15:30 - Magically beautiful
Children's magic show with magician Ernestin16:00 to 16:30 - Parastu
Magical children's show17:00 to 17:30 - Magically beautiful
Children's magic show with magician Ernestin18:00 to 18:30 - Parastu
Magical children's show -
19:30 to 22:00 - SKYLINE
The top band from Ortenau. From pop to rock. The best hits of today and the past 50 years. -
15:30, 16:30, 17:30 - Read-aloud stories with the city library: All about zoo animals
Employees of Karlsruhe City Library read stories for children -
15:00 to 19:00 - Solar lamp workshop
Solar lamps can be made with the KUNSTBOX event service
Tickets
Separate tickets had to be purchased for the Festival of Lights. Annual tickets were not valid on August 18 and 19, 2023.
Tickets could be purchased in the app eTicket@KA (the app is available for Android and iOS in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store, as well as without a smartphone app as a desktop version at eticket-ka.de) can be purchased. From July 1, 2023, there was also an advance sale at the zoo ticket offices (also for people with a Karlsruhe Pass).
The advance booking prices for the Festival of Lights were the same as the regular admission prices for the Zoologischer Stadtgarten. However, a surcharge of 3.00 euros was levied on the days of the event itself.
All general information about Karlsruhe Zoo can be found on the Website of the city of Karlsruhe.