Upcoming holiday attractions

This holiday season, many events are taking place to celebrate the joy of winter.

The holiday season is bringing lights about with Tacoma’s annual Zoolights event. Zoolights is one of the most popular Christmas-time events during the month of December. Hosted by Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium here in Tacoma, the zoo is transformed into a “colorful winter wonderland,” according to the Point Defiance website. The event features a 30-foot-wide underwater landscape, a 22-foot-wide rock crab and over half a million lights. The event also includes the chance to stroll through the aquariums and pet goats. Zoolights is open now until Jan. 1. General daytime admission prices vary by age group. Those ages 13-64 need to pay $17.95, with seniors age 65+ at $16.95. Youth ages 5-12 have to pay $13.95, but children under the age of two are free. Evening admission prices for non-members are $8.50, but the Student Activities Board at UW Tacoma is selling tickets at $5 for students for a limited time at a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, visit the SAB official Facebook page.

UW Tacoma student Rosanna Vinton, who has visited Zoolights before, wants to go again this year. “It’s amazing! The lights are so pretty,” says Vinton.

The Pierce County library will also be hosting gingerbread house events. There will be many dates and events throughout the month of December for students and children to build a gingerbread house with the community. Hosted at many participating Pierce County libraries, the one closest to UW is the Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County Library on Pacific Avenue. The event will take place on Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. For online registration or more dates, visit piercecountylibrary.org/calendar.

Another event being hosted for Christmas is Fantasy Lights in Spanaway. The event — which can be enjoyed as a drive-through — features over three hundred individual displays that include thousands of sparkling lights. This will be the 22nd event to be hosted by Pierce County Parks and Recreation. According to the website, Fantasy Lights is “the largest holiday drive-through display in the Northwest.” The animations include bears, flying kites, penguins flying down igloos, and many more characters to aid people of all ages in enjoying the holiday season. The event is free, and will operate every day through Jan.1. The site also says “as you drive, dial your car radio to FM 95.3 to listen to a selection of holiday music to add to the festive atmosphere of the park.”