The Night of the Cats – SOLD OUT!

The first two Saturdays of September 2023 are for the endangered cats.
On September 2nd and 9th 2023 Korkeasaari Zoo is open 10 a.m. – 11 p.m., last entrance is at 9 p.m. Separate tickets are sold to the event. Korkeasaari Zoo donates part of every ticket to conservation!

Fund recipient for 2023 is the Pallas’s cat

The bushy tailed inhabitant of Central Asia is at risk of habitat loss and poaching. Though the natural population is hard to estimate due to the species solitary nature it is known to be declining.

In previous years the funds collected in the event have been donated towards the conservation of Amur tigers and leopards. The 2023 political climate and sanctions againts Russia prevent funds being directed to conservation measures in Russia. Conservation work in the Amur area continues with funds from previous years.

Tickets

During the event days, you can only enter the zoo with a Night of the Cats event ticket purchased for that day, or with our annual card. Event ticket permits a one time entry. We will donate 1 € towards Pallas’s cat’s conservation from each ticket sold.

Ticket sales for the event have begun in our online shop. Shop language is Finnish.

* Student and senior tickets
Student tickets are sold to full-time students who can present a valid student card with a photo. Of international cards, only an ISIC student card is accepted.

Senior citizen tickets are sold to people over 65 years old, who can present an ID document as well as to persons with full pension pursuant to Kela.

Programme

There will be plenty to see and do in the Cat Valley and other parts of the island. Younger cat enthusiasts will enjoy our children’s programme until 4 p.m. after which the activities will be geared toward adults.

Daytime programme

Animal feeding times in Cat Valley

Feeding times for other animals

Face painting 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Our artists will transform your looks.

Glitter tattoos 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Get a theme appropriate glitter tattoo
Tattoo will be applied only on hands, not suitable for children under two years old.

Fazer wheel of fortune 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Every spin is a winner. One spin 3 €, four for 10 €.

Giant soap bubble show 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Come see the soapy magic by the Ruffle Army fairies.

Evening programme

Feeding times in Cat Valley

Feeding times for other animals

Escape room 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Can you beat the special Night of the Cats escape room experience?
Game language is Finnish. Not suitable for players under 16 years, game contains flashing lights.

Glitter make-up 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Visit our glimmering makeup studio and shimmer in the lights.

Stand up for charity 5:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
Stand up comedians show their support and make you laugh.
Show language is Finnish.

Fazer wheel of fortune 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Every spin is a winner. One spin 3 €, four for 10 €.

Light show 10:15 p.m.
Belenos Group of Arts performs an enchanting choreography with specialised LED props.

Light arts route
As the dusk falls the island will be lit up like a shining jewel by Sun Effects. You can also see our lantern installation Fires of Amur which represents the number of individials of the critically endangered amurleopard in nature.

Arriving

We recommend taking the water bus from the Market Square or arriving by public transport. The zoo water bus will operate all day until 11 p.m., see the schedule here. The bus number 16 from Helsinki Railway Station will have additional shifts in the evening. Check the HSL Route Planner for buses and metro schedule. More detailed info on arriving to the zoo can be found here.

Food and drink

In addition to the animals our visitors can also enjoy a fantastic meal during the event.

Restaurant Karhu open 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Á la carte menu, last orders at 9:30 p.m. The kiosks will open during the afternoon and serve until 10 p.m. From the kiosks you can find hot dogs 7,50€, burgers 12€, fries 6€ and nachos with salsa 6€.

Restaurant Pukki open 10 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Buffet served from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., adult 19€, 7-12-year-olds 11€ and children six and under 1€/year of age with an adult meal. A street food tent will begin service in the afternoon and serve until 10:30 p.m., from there you’ll find grilled sausages 3,50€ and crepes 4€.

Saukko Street Food
Next to the otter enclosure you’ll find artisan pizza slices 8€ and waffles 6,50€. Opens during the afternoon.

Bistro Bron open 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Located at the main gate.

Smaller kiosks open according to the weather and customer numbers.

Karhu, Pukki and Bistro Bron will serve a specialty blueberry jam filled donut and hot cocoa combo for 7,50€! 0,50€ from each combo served will be donated to the protection of Pallas’s cat.

Jungle Juice Bar open 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Jungle Juice Bar offers refreshing smoothies. From each Lion King smoothie sold during the event 1€ will be donated to conservation.

Cafe services on the ferries
Aboard the paddle wheel vessel Vispilä and the smaller vessel Ilves you’ll find cafe services with plenty of goodies and a speacialty Pallas’s cat hot cocoa for 4,50€ to keep you warm. JT-Line will donate 0,50€ to conservation from each cocoa sold.

Shop

The zoo shop and pop-up shop will offer a range of spectacular offers. In addition, there will be products sold that will have a portion of their proceeds donated to the protection of the Pallas’s cat. The shops are open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Conservation products
Special Night of the Cats patch 6€ and 8€, 2€ from each sold will go to conservation work.

Leopard reflector 9,50€, 4€ from each sold will go to conservation work.

Mum & baby plushie 27,50€, 5€ from each sold will go to conservation.

Special offer
Headband with animal ears 8€ (normal price 9,50€)

Tail with a clip 8€ (normal price 9,50€)

Plushie mask 12€ (normal price 14,50€)

Dish set 20€ (normal price 25,50€)

Puzzle 7€ (normal price 8,90€)

Etiquette for the evenings

The safety of our customers is our top priority, but we will also need your help to make the visit pleasant for everyone. Please, take note of the following instructions.

Tickets
You can purchase a ticket for the day in advance in our online shop or from the ticket sales upon arrival. Print out your ticket or download the PDF for offline use at home, as mobile connections can be limited. A screenshot will not work as your ticket. Ticket permits entry only once. We recommend our visitors to arrive well before the light starts to fade.

Safety in Cat Valley
Access to Cat Valley may be restricted and foot traffic may be diverted to be one way if needed due to safety concerns.

Evening hours
As daylight fades, only the lit routes marked on the map are available. Some of the species will retire earlier than others and due to this some areas will be closed off from the public. The animals have excellent vision even in dark conditions so don’t use bright lights or flash photography. Please don’t knock on the enclosures, feed or otherwise disturb the animals in any way.

Any issues during the event
First aid can be found at the ticket sales points. The ticket sales phone number +358 50 352 5989 works as Korkeasaari Zoo’s own emergency number. Lost and found items are listed at eOmistaja Löytö, you can check for your items there.