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Santa Barbara Zoo Lights- Heartland Charter School

Where and when

Date and time

Fri, Dec 11 at 4:30pm - 9pm

Friday, December 11, 2026 at 4:30pm - 9pm

Location

Santa Barbara ZooSanta Barbara Zoo500 Ninos Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

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Registration window -October 19, 10:00 a.m. -October 25 25, 7:00 p.m.

See the Santa Barbara Zoo in a whole new light! Zoolights, now called IllumaNature: California Coastin’, transforms the Zoo after dark into an immersive, glowing journey through California’s iconic landscapes. Wander among thousands of lights, encounter glowing wildlife and interactive installations, and climb aboard the IllumaNature Express for a spectacular train ride through the Zoo. Learn about the physics of light before you arrive so you can appreciate the science and art of light as you walk through the Zoo and enjoy the illuminated lanterns showcasing animal and nature scenes.

Ticket cost:

  • Children ages 0-2 FREE
  • Students ages 3-12 $22.95
  • Students ages 13+ $32.95
  • Chaperones $32.95

*The price for tickets paid with a credit card will be slightly higher due to the Ticketbud processing fee.

May I pay using my student's planning amount? Yes! You can pay for your student's ticket and one chaperone ticket with your student's planning amount. Reminder: Only one chaperone ticket per family may be purchased using planning amounts. 

What are the check-in procedures? Please meet in the parking lot near the Zoo entrance by 4:15 so I can check everyone in before we enter at 4:30. I will be wearing a Heartland shirt and waiting near the entrance. Please be on time. We all need to enter the zoo together so they can give the students directions.

Who may attend? All ages are welcome. Every attendee needs a ticket. This includes infants.

Is there on-site parking available? Please arrive by 4:00 to secure a parking spot in the SB Zoo parking lot. The lot fills up fast. Parking costs $11.00 per vehicle. Zoo members park for free. Check out this link for overflow parking information.

Can we pack snacks or lunch for this event or field trip? Yes.

How do I contact the event organizer?

Name: Susie Hicks

Phone number: (805) 448-3131

Email address: [email protected]

You must have a student enrolled at Heartland Charter School to attend this event. We verify enrollment for all attendees.

How to Reserve Your Spot

To officially join us on this field trip, you must complete both steps of our registration process. Please follow these directions carefully:

Step 1: Check out on Ticketbud

Complete the checkout process here on Ticketbud. This initiates your reservation. *If you want to pay with your student funds, please reserve tickets labeled "Paid with student funds through Procurify". You will need to place an order in Procurify for all tickets paid with your students' planning amounts.

  • It is important that you provide the name of the person who will be using each ticket when registering. Don't reserve all of your tickets using your name. (We do not recommend using the option that allows you to copy data from another attendee.)
  • Confirmation: You will receive an email confirmation from Ticketbud once your order is complete.
  • Tip: If you do not see the email within a few minutes, please check your Spam/Junk folder. If you cannot find a confirmation email from Ticketbud, you did not successfully reserve tickets.
  • Action: Once you have your confirmation, move immediately to Step 2 for any tickets paid with your students' planning amounts.

Step 2: Place your Order in Procurify for tickets paid with your students' planning amounts.

Your spot is not confirmed until an order is placed in the Procurify system for any tickets paid with your students' planning amount. You do NOT need to place an order in Procurify for tickets paid out of pocket or for free tickets.

  • Search: Log in to Procurify, search the name of this field trip in the catalog, and complete your order as you would for any other educational resource.
  • Deadline: You must place your Procurify order within 3 days of your Ticketbud registration.
  • IMPORTANT! Registration Requirement: To avoid losing your spot, both steps must be completed. Failure to place an order in Procurify within the three-day window will result in removal from the attendee list and a manual deduction from your account.

Heartland events are designed for families to attend together. Students need to be accompanied by an adult chaperone. If your student will be attending with another family, please email the field trip host to let them know once you complete your registration. Chaperones must be the legal parent or 25 years and older. All chaperones must be healthy, ethical people with the skills to be responsible adult chaperones.

Please review our Field Trip Refund & Attendance Policy!

To ensure we can provide these experiences to as many students as possible, please review our commitment and refund guidelines before registering.

All Sales are Final

  • No Refunds: Once a ticket is reserved or purchased, we cannot offer a refund for any reason, including illness, scheduling conflicts, or a change of plans.
  • Non-Transferable: Tickets are tied specifically to the student account used at registration. They cannot be sold, gifted, or transferred to another family.

The "No-Show" Policy

Because Heartland pre-pays many venues based on Ticketbud headcounts, an unused ticket is a direct loss of school resources.

  • Fund Deduction: If a family reserves a spot and does not place an order in Procurify, the student's planning amount will still be manually deducted from their Procurify account, and the student will be removed from the attendee list.
  • Loss of Access: Families who are frequent "no-shows" may lose access to future field trip registrations. We track attendance to ensure that limited spots go to families who are committed to attending.

Professional Courtesy: If an emergency arises, and you truly cannot make it:

  • Notify the Lead Teacher: Please email the organizing teacher as soon as possible.
  • Why it matters: This prevents the entire group from waiting at the venue entrance for your arrival, keeping the educational program on schedule for everyone else.

Our Goal: By only registering for events you are fully committed to, you help us keep our field trip program sustainable and open to all students.

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