When: November 17-January 2
Where: Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights – the city’s newest holiday tradition – once again transforms the Garden into a giant magical kaleidoscope November 17-January 5. The second annual light show extravaganza is sure to dazzle with more colors, more displays and a cast of characters to boot.
Tickets go on sale November 5 (Garden members October 29) for the holiday spectacle featuring more than one million lights – all LED bulbs or low-energy consuming products – that blanket the Garden’s 30 acres each evening from 5-10 in a rainbow of shimmering color. “This year’s show is going to be bigger, brighter and better than ever,” said Mary Pat Matheson, the Garden’s executive director.
Considered the largest light show in the country to debut as “all green,” Garden Lights, Holiday Nights sparkles with many new attractions. The Cascades Garden casts a spectacular icy cool vibe with the new Liquid Lights display featuring blue and white lighted fountain sprays and water curtains, while the “Starry Night Walk,” inspired by Van Gogh’s famous painting, sparkles with dozens of swirling stars twinkling along a camellia-lined walkway.
Visitors have the chance to meet the mysteriously beautiful, Lumina the Light Sprite, who flitters around the Garden casting her magical wand on children of all ages. Also new this year are enchanting, illuminated frog-elves – a.k.a. “frelves” – hidden along the paths teasing visitors to find them.
Look for a bejeweled dragonfly, dozens more lighted trees and shrubs in gorgeous unexpected color palettes, and plenty of high-tech wows indoors throughout the conservatories. Top-secret designs also are being developed in collaboration with Lighting Science Group – the Florida company that brought the Great Lawn’s “Orchestral Orbs” to life last year with a frenetic topiary light show choreographed to holiday music, which is also back this year. The lighting gurus are combining their world-renowned products and innovative technologies to dazzle the 50-foot-tall landmark Dawn Redwood tree and other Garden features in new and completely different ways.
Perennial favorites such as the “Glittery Galaxy,” the “Funky Forest,” Edible Garden’s “Brilliant Bugs,” and Conservatory’s tropical laser lights are all back by popular demand, too!
In addition to the lights, look for spectacular floriculture displays, such as a new 30-foot-long wall of live poinsettias and orchids, and an 18-foot-tall poinsettia tree. Also returning is the Holiday Model Train Show in a new expanded location! And look for the new Glow Bar, fire pits for roasting s’mores, and a mouth-watering dinner menu from MetroFresh in the Garden!
For ticket information, visit atlantabotanicalgarden.org or call 1.855.GLHN.TIX (1.855.454.6849).
