Brooklyn Botanic Garden Set to Shimmer With the Return of 'Lightscape'

By Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper

The sprawling lawns and lush gardens of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden will become a glittering winter wonderland with the return of Lightscape on November 17.

Now in its third year at the garden, Lightscape is a dazzling holiday lights show created by dozens of local and international artists. Over a million lights, accompanied by live music and soundscapes, create beautiful and otherworldly vistas for visitors to wander through.

This year, the trail has been “expanded and reimagined,” according to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, featuring new works like “Sea of Light,” which will fill the garden’s famous Cherry Esplanade with a stunning sequence of light.

“Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have already fallen in love with Lightscape over the past two years, and we’re delighted to invite the city back this winter with the most exquisite trail yet,” said Adrian Benepe, president and CEO of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, in a statement. “Nowhere else in the city will you find a more mesmerizing way to spend a winter night, celebrating the season and joining with friends and family to experience New York’s new contemporary classic for the holidays.”

Other new works include “Submergence,” described as an “immersive, interactive experience” created with thousands of points of suspended light, and “Trinity,” which will project dozens of illustrations from the garden’s own archives onto 100-year-old horse chestnut trees. The new pieces will join old favorites like the Winter Cathedral — a fully illuminated structure perfect for snapping photos and soaking in the cozy ambiance.

A brand-new playlist specially curated for Lightscape will keep guests moving and grooving with the music of Taylor Swift and Elton John — and a “Brooklyn hip-hop zone” will celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with Mos Def, MC Lyte, and more.

Along the way, food stalls will offer hot and delicious snacks — like hot buttered rum, homemade donuts, and s’mores in a jar – to warm up the chilly winter nights.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden will host a special ceremony to “flip the switch” and kick off Lightscape at 5 p.m. on November 17, and Lightscape will run on select nights through New Year’s Day. Peak-time tickets start at $19 for children and $39 for adults, with discounts available for BBG members and on off-peak nights.

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.

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