What’s New: Homes and Habitats Theme

Homes and habitats, where nature and community intertwine. As audiences take in millions of lights across the Garden they will explore and celebrate the beauty and importance of interconnected environments. The colors and light forms reflect various habitats in different Garden areas: wetlands shine in the Asian Valley Garden; rich colors of the forest glow in the Flagler Garden, see familiar favorite light forms glitter in the homestead of Grace Arents Gardens; imaginative blues and purples light up a magical world of fantasy in the Children’s Garden; and vibrant grasslands adorn the Cochrane Rose Garden. Be sure to check out the lush rainforest in the East Wing of the Conservatory and the desert in the West Wing! Every environment plays a vital role in sustenance for life. Enjoy as you explore different ecosystems, and welcome HOME!

More than twenty-seven miles of light strands twinkle in the trees and line the Garden paths. Enjoy new light forms like a parrot, turtle, and swans! There will be a Pokémon light form for you to find in each habitat. Ponyta, Ivysaur, and many others await you! Plus, enjoy brand-new interactive features in the Waterway splash pad (Children’s Garden) and Cochrane Rose Garden. Light up the sound-reactive wall using just your voice!

The immersive experience includes a tunnel of lights in the Central Garden, a fire-pit to roast s’mores, and the chance to view the lights reflecting in the lake from the Klaus Family Tree House. This vantage point high in the tree canopy is thirteen feet above ground and universally accessible using a gently sloping ramp.

Plants, both live and dried botanicals, are a highlight of this year’s GardenFest. Herbs in the Home, a display in the Library Reading Room, will show us how we use nature in our kitchen, for crafts and decorations, and other practices, representing the HOME – traditions and festivities. In front of the Conservatory, you’ll find a cut, live Fraser Fir tree over 20 feet tall!

The Kelly Education Center is home to the Garden’s beloved model-train display, a must-see for all ages. Delicate dried botanicals created by Garden volunteers decorate the hallways and the Lora Robins Library. The materials are collected year-round and preserved to fashion decorations and a miniature botanical village. Homemade natural wood trees built by our volunteers and decorated by Henrico County Public Schools students brighten the Lora Robins Library, along with the fan-favorite Fairy Village – miniature houses made with seeds, petals, and other natural mediums.

 

2024-2025 GardenFest by the Numbers

• #1: Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights ranked #1 in USA Today’s “Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights”
• Over 20’: height of Frasier Fir tree from Pennsylvania’s Lancaster area placed and decorated in
  front of the Conservatory. The tree will be heavily decorated using natural materials in a green
  and golden color scheme.
• 115 wrapped trees
• Darlington Oak: 50 hours; 187 strands; 9,350 bulbs; 1 mile of lights; took two arborist tree climbers 4 days to string the lights
• 27+: miles of light strands (not including light forms)
• 13,500+: number of strands in inventory (not including light forms)
• 285,000+: number of LEDs (not including light forms)
• 134,750 individual light bulbs in trees=13 miles of lights in trees alone
• 220: number of volunteers helping prepare for GardenFest
• 8,705: hours worked by volunteers (volunteering twice a week year-round + during the show)
• 3 months: how long it takes to install the lights (and year-round prep and planning work)
• 49: number of nights Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights is open to the public (November 18, 2024-January 5, 2025)
• 5 GardenFest for Fidos Nights when leashed dogs are allowed (November 18, November 25, 2024; December 2, December 9, December 16, 2025)
• 141,965: number of people who purchased tickets in 2023-2024

History: Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden have been a favorite holiday tradition for more than 28 years. GardenFest as we know it started in 1995 and Dominion Energy became a sponsor in 1998, making this the 26th year of Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights.