# Sensory-Friendly Night at ZooLights — Oregon Zoo > Event for families in the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro area (OR / WA). Times are Pacific Time. - When: Mon, Nov 16 · 4:30 PM – 8:30 PM - Where: Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road, Portland, OR 97221 - Ages: Guests with different sensory processing needs and their families - Price: Ticket required (sensory-night price not printed; ZooLights adult ticket price range $13 to $35, youth $13 to $30) - For kids with sensory or other needs: Sensory-friendly. Sensory-friendly: quieter music, cool-down spaces, limited participation to minimize crowds; free sensory kits at the entrance; KultureCity app and social story. Tickets bought in advance online. - Organizer: Oregon Zoo (Metro) - Official page: https://shop.oregonzoo.org/events/321784bb-a2ea-296b-bf40-a30abb63d362 - Last checked: Tue, Oct 27 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 2, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-01), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/portland/activities/sensory-friendly-night-at-zoolights-oregon-zoo--listing-145150ed8bbb7d56ca38f199 ## About One evening of the Oregon Zoo's ZooLights season is set aside for guests with sensory processing needs and their families. On the sensory-friendly night the music along the light displays is turned down, attendance is capped to keep crowds small, and cool-down spaces are available when a break is needed. Free sensory kits can be borrowed at the zoo entrance with noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, fidget tools, verbal cue cards and weighted lap pads. The zoo suggests downloading the free KultureCity app beforehand to see the available resources and a social story that walks children through the visit. Families still get the full ZooLights experience: walking through tunnels of glittering lights, seeing life-size animal lanterns, and riding the zoo train past the displays. Dress for an evening outdoors in November and buy the separate sensory-night ticket online; daytime zoo tickets do not include ZooLights. ## Similar picks in Portland - [Sensory-Friendly Nutcracker — Columbia Dance at Skyview Concert Hall](https://grassyknees.com/portland/activities/sensory-friendly-nutcracker-columbia-dance-at-skyview-concert-hall--listing-0028b339a685ac6554e5b2b7) — Fri, Dec 18 · 6:00 PM · Skyview Concert Hall, Vancouver · All ages · From $24 · sensory-friendly · checked Oct 27. Columbia Dance, the Vancouver dance school and company, sets The Nutcracker in 1840s Fort Vancouver, and its Friday-evening show is a sensory-friendly performance. 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