Springtime isn’t the only time you can enjoy New York’s bountiful botanical gardens. You can ring in the holiday season this winter at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden by enjoying a mile-long trail of light installations made up of more than one million bright lights and music! Now in its third year, Lightscape transforms the garden into a dazzling nighttime display for visitors of all ages.
Lantern Garden by Mandylights
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an urban oasis in the heart of Brooklyn where New Yorkers can get closer to the world of plants. A day in the garden can foster curiosity and a love for the environment in the whole family. This love carries on into the cold winter season with Lightscape. The mesmerizing light displays are inspired by the landscape of the garden, including the trees, water features, and architecture. The giant trees of the garden are wrapped in lights and glowing dandelions and flowers hang above you as you enter the experience.
Frost Tree by Culture Creative. Courtesy Sony Music
The 18 light installations in the garden were designed by internationally renowned light artists and design teams. Four new installations were introduced this year including Supernova, a 24-foot-high shining Moravian star by Studio Vertigo that emits a sparkling glow.
Another new installation is Submergence by the UK collaborative Squidsoup. At Submergence, you’ll walk through a tunnel of blue and purple lights that dangle above you as you are immersed in light and sound.
Lightscape this year is set to a completely new playlist. Artists on the soundtrack range from Taylor Swift and Elton John to Philip Glass and everyone in between. The soundtrack perfectly compliments the installation it is paired with, As you wander past a long pond illuminated with lanterns reflected in the water outside the glass conservatory, you hear beautiful instrumentals and white noise.
A hip-hop zone celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. At this stop, you’ll hear music by Mos Def, Digable Planets, and MC Lyte. An illuminated area within Oak Circle titled Kaleido Circle plays a mix of hip-hop songs from the voices of Brooklyn, curated by Sherwin Banfield, a Queens-based artist.
Half Arches by Culture Creative
Pop-up dining areas are offered throughout the trail, with hot chocolate, s’mores in a jar, and other seasonal treats to snack on. You will feel like you’re walking through a winter wonderland with a scrumptious homemade donut in hand.
President and CEO of Brooklyn Botanic Garden says, “Nowhere else in the city will you find a more mesmerizing way to spend a winter night, celebrating the season and joining friends and family to experience New York’s new contemporary classic for the holidays.” He is absolutely right about this. Lightscape will be on view from November 17th, 2023 through January 1st, 2024.
Writer currently living in Queens and attending St. John's University with a passion for history, art, language, and the ever-changing world around us.
