TUPPER LAKE — The Wild Center’s Wild Lights is returning today.

This seasonal experience transforms The Wild Center’s 115-acre campus into a winter wonderland, with a variety of activities, displays, lights and dates added this year due to popular demand. Wild Lights will run on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m. starting today.

Back for its third year, this family-friendly event is quickly becoming a winter tradition in the North Country. Once the sun goes down, Wild Lights sets The Wild Center ablaze with thousands of twinkling lights, nearly double the amount of last year, turning the surrounding area into an illuminated paradise. Visitors can enjoy:

¯ New this year, a light tunnel across Rainbow Bridge

¯ Forest Music: The looped trail with over 130 trees wrapped in colorful lights and a new musical composition from Whatever Penny titled “Taiga,” creating a magical three-dimensional winter soundscape

¯ Wild Walk: The award-winning elevated and accessible platform which has been strung with tens of thousands of lights and also features new photo-worthy winter installations

¯ Stickwork: Stroll through Patrick Dougherty’s “Hopscotch,” outlined in glowing lights.

Also new this year, guests can head inside The Wild Center to warm up with hot drinks, food and interactive light-up pieces, such as an oversized Lite Brite. The Wild Supply Co. will be open for shopping, as well as the Living River Trail, where guests can watch the North American River Otters play.

With more lights and activities come additional Wild Lights dates. The 2022-23 season is as follows:

¯ Fridays and Saturdays from Nov. 25 to Feb. 25

¯ Open nightly during Holiday Week — Dec. 16 to 24 and Dec. 26 to 31

¯ Open nightly during World University Games Week — Jan. 13 to 21

¯ Open nightly during President’s Week — Feb. 17 to 25.

In addition, The Wild Center will host three special events featuring local breweries. Friday Nights Lights and Flights will take place on Dec. 30, Jan. 20 and Feb. 24 for guests 21 years and older.

Admission to Wild Lights is purchased separately from regular day-time Wild Center admission. Opening day, today, will be “Member Day,” where all members of The Wild Center can enter for free. From Nov. 26 to Feb. 25, member pricing is $5 for adults and free for children under 18, and non-member pricing is $10 for adults $10, $5 for youth, and free for children 4 and under. Tickets and information are available at wildcenter.org/wildlights.

Wild Lights is part of a new community-wide winter celebration called Tupper Lights. The Tupper Lake event celebrates the season by extending the glow of Wild Lights into the downtown areas of Tupper Lake. Local shops and restaurants are offering special hours and deals through December. Included in Tupper Lights is Park Street Stroll on Friday, Dec. 16.