One of the brightest events of the holiday season is now on view at San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG). It’s their third annual Lightscape, a mile-long display of extravagantly illuminated installations that turn the always lovely, mostly green garden into a multicolored, magical wonderland.
This year, there are 20 installations, designed by international artists, and all accompanied by music. A few old favorites are back, including the elegant Winter Cathedral, but everything else is seen here for the first time.
As my husband and I strolled the trail on a moonlit evening, I overheard a woman saying to her friend: “Every year these pieces are cleverer than before!”
Here are a few of our personal favorites. If you go, you’ll surely have some of your own to add.
A real full moon over Star Avenue, an array of color-changing animated stars by ArtAV, an audio/visual design studio based in the U.K.
Submergence: An immersive walk-through experience by U.K.-based Squidsoup, featuring thousands of tiny suspended lights that invite you to interact with them.
Floraison: A plethora of golden poppies by Pitaya, a French creative studio.
Singing Trees: This enchanting walkway of trees transformed by lights that change color in response to music comes from ITHACA Studio, based in Brighton, U.K. and Chicago, U.S.A.
Flame Skimmers: Three of 10 super-sized, brilliantly colored dragonflies by Chicago artist Michael Young.
The ever-popular Winter Cathedral, beyond which you can see a small part of a large field of Bluebonnets, the Texas state flower, re-imagined by Mandylights, an Australian design company that also created the Cathedral.
Lightscape will delight visitors of all ages through Jan. 5, 2025. It’s on view from 5 p.m.-10 p.m., rain or shine, every day except Tuesdays, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. All tickets must be purchased in advance.
San Diego Botanic Garden is located at 300 Quail Gardens Drive. Encinitas, CA. 760-436-3036.
For complete information on tickets, accessibility, parking, and onsite snacks and drinks visit www.sdbg.org/lightscape/lightscape-faqs
