Calm Zoo hosted their annual Holiday Light show as a drive-thru experience due to COVID guidelines.
According to the CALM Zoo website, this was the eighteenth year of the Holiday Lights at CALM event. To plan this event many, meet in August to make decisions on how the event is going to run, Meg Maitland director of CALM stated.
Maitland explained that because of the unpredictable circumstances that occur because of COVID, the decision was based on the safety of their guests in a pandemic. Maitland stated that the park expects around 4,000 attendees when conducting a walk-thru experience, so to make safety their number one priority, keeping everyone distanced and with their groups was the best idea.
The lights are set up in front of the zoo instead of throughout the park, Maitland explained. The drive-thru is about a mile long and full of various themes and sets made of lights. Maitland stated that for the first two weeks the cost of attending is twenty-seven dollars per vehicle on the weekdays. There are discounts for members and limited in-person sales. Purchasing a ticket is done online, however, one is also able to go into a Valley Strong Credit Union for in person sales.
The drive-thru experience is different from the walk-thru, however, one is not better than the other. Maitland explained how both have different elements and the drive-thru is a different experience entirely than the walk-thru. The drive-thru consists of various lights and themes that bring the whole experience to life. As the walk-thru also has the same elements but is also throughout the park next to animals.
Overall, even during a pandemic, holiday experiences are still widely available from the safe and comfortable space in one’s car.