Currently and until 5 January 2025 ZOO Planckendael near Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin) hosts a Light Festival. This year’s theme is ‘Dragons of the North‘. Dennis suggested this excursion… and why not?  

“Discover the mystique of the Far North”, ZOO Planckendael says. 

“Experience the clash between ice and fire, and meet friendly trolls and elves, a howling werewolf and his pack, magnificent flying horses, majestic reindeer, a kind rock giant, an awe-inspiring giant, and a cool ice queen. Alongside several trendy dragons and a four-meter-tall phoenix, they rise up at ZOO Planckendael.”

What can you expect?

Scattered around the zoo, colourful nylon animals, mushroom, ice crystals, trolls and other objects light up to create a fairytale world. A fitting soundtrack helps to set the mood. 

Inspiration is drawn from ‘Games of Thrones‘, ‘Lord of the Rings’, ‘Frozen‘, Nordic and Greco-Roman mythology. But the characters are original and don’t infringe on copyright. 

I feel like the route tries to tell a story, but perhaps I missed it. 

What not to expect?

Don’t expect live animals. They’re asleep somewhere inside.

So?

The Light Festival is very cute and geared towards children. Dennis and I toured the zoo in just over half an hour. We could have done it slower, but not much.

In that light (pun intended), I found 21 euros for 35 minutes a lot. 

Practical

The ‘Dragons of the North’ Light Festival is open from Thursday to Sunday until 5 January 2025. During the Autumn and Christmas Holidays, the festival is open daily, except on 24 and 31 December. The light festival closes at 10 PM.