November 2, 2026
Tickets Now Available for The Wild Center’s Wild Lights
2026-2027 season features New York’s first Thomas Dambo Troll installation
Tupper Lake, N.Y. – The Wild Center is excited to announce that Wild Lights opens on Fri., Nov. 27. For the first time, the evening experience will include Patrick Sapling, New York’s first Thomas Dambo troll installation, glowing among the Adirondack boulders. Wild Lights transforms The Wild Center’s 115-acre campus into a winter wonderland, with thousands of bulbs and a variety of activities and displays. Wild Lights returns for its seventh season, made possible by support from our lead sponsor, J. Salamy Carpentry, and other generous businesses and individuals. Wild Lights will run on Friday and Saturday evenings, plus nightly during special holiday weeks from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with tickets on sale now.
Patrick Sapling Lights Up the Night
Patrick Sapling, a permanent recycled wood sculpture by renowned Danish artist Thomas Dambo, is the first Dambo troll installation in New York State. The giant troll was built on The Wild Center’s campus by Dambo and his team alongside Wild Center staff, more than 50 volunteers, and Adam Boudreau of Kentile Excavating. Patrick Sapling joined the campus during TROLLS: Save the Humans, which wrapped up its record-breaking run on Oct. 31 as the busiest season in The Wild Center’s history.
This winter, visitors will see Patrick Sapling in a whole new light. The Troll sculpture will be illuminated for the first time as part of Wild Lights. Its addition brings part of the Fen Trail into the Wild Lights route, inviting guests to explore a new stretch of forest after dark.
“Patrick Sapling has quickly become part of the family here, and seeing him lit up against the winter night is something we can’t wait to share. Wild Lights gives visitors a brand-new way to meet him,” said Nick Gunn, Director of Marketing & Visitor Experience at The Wild Center.
The lit path down to Patrick Sapling also prominently features Second Nature, a new installation by local artist Larry Robjent. Crafted from scrap metal and recycled materials, Robjent’s six sculptures depict Adirondack wildlife, including a great blue heron, North American river otter, wood turtle, North American porcupine, barred owl, and pileated woodpecker, each taking on new character under the glow of Wild Lights.
More to Explore
All winter, this family-friendly installation sets The Wild Center aglow with thousands of twinkling lights, turning the surrounding forest into an illuminated paradise. Visitors can also enjoy:
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- Forest Music: the looped trail with over 130 trees wrapped in colorful lights, set to a musical composition from Eric Sturr & Co.
- Winter-themed Interactives: a nocturnal animal flashlight scavenger hunt invites guests to seek out the Adirondack creatures that come alive after dark, while a create-a-snowflake installation in the Naturalist Cabinet lets visitors design their own snowflakes and explore the science of how they form.
- Lit Photo Ops: the Giant Eagle Wings, brightly colored hexagonal light tunnels, and Hopscotch, the woven-branch stickwork sculpture by artist Patrick Dougherty, provide a backdrop for the perfect wintry photo.
Guests can warm up at a hot cocoa bar with a buffet of toppings, a crackling Adirondack fire, and sweet and savory s’mores kits. The Wild Supply Co. will be available for shopping, and indoor experiences will be open, including Planet Adirondack and the Living River Trail, where guests can watch North American river otters play.
Prepare for the Trails
Wild Lights is an outdoor walking experience on The Wild Center’s forest trails, and Adirondack winter weather can make trail conditions variable from night to night. The Wild Center strongly encourages guests to wear proper footwear, bring traction devices and walking sticks, and dress in warm winter clothing so they can explore comfortably and safely. Guests are encouraged to check the forecast before their visit and plan for snow, ice, and cold evening temperatures.
Season Dates
Dates for the 2026–2027 season are as follows:
- Fridays and Saturdays from Nov. 27 to Feb. 20
- Open nightly during Holiday Week – Dec. 26 to 31
- Open nightly during Winter Week – Feb. 12 to 20
Tickets
Admission to Wild Lights is separate from daytime admission to The Wild Center. Member pricing is $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 5–17; non-member pricing is $15 for adults and $10 for youth. Admission is free for children 4 and under. Tickets and information are available at wildcenter.org/wildlights. Many nights sell out, especially weekends and holiday periods, so advance reservations are recommended.
Organizations interested in renting the Wild Lights experience for a party or private event may contact Anna Stuckey at astuckey@wildcenter.org or 518-359-7800 x1-144.
Wild Lights is presented by J. Salamy Carpentry and supported by Duffs Dumpsters, Mike Foote State Farm Insurance and The Reynolds Group.
Wild Lights is also supported through a Market New York grant awarded by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State’s Division of Tourism.
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