U.S. Bank Wild Lights

U.S. Bank Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo (1 Government Drive; www.stlzoo.org) opens this weekend from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday, and once again it's in the running for Best Zoo Lights in the country in USA Today's annual poll (voting is open until December 10, if you're so inclined). U.S. Bank Wild Lights features more than 1 million lights strung throughout the zoo, and families can also enjoy storytellers, campfire s'mores, ice-carving demonstrations on weekends and special nighttime viewings of Penguin & Puffin Coast and the Monsanto Insectarium. This year the zoo's 4D theater is showing The Polar Express for free during the Wild Lights nights, and the always-popular Conservation Carousel is likewise free to ride. Sessions resume from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday (November 28 to December 23, and then every night except Christmas Eve and Christmas from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. (December 26 to 30). Tickets are $8 to $11, and kids younger than two are free.