Illumination is back for its 10th year in a row. The beloved light show, which is set to start this Saturday, November 19th, is filled with dazzling displays centered around nature. The Morton Arboretum’s centennial year will be spent with late-night opportunities and tons of other surprises.
A paved path takes guests through the Arboretum’s majestic landscape amid dazzling light spectacles. The annual light exhibition is known to highlight the beauty of trees in winter. With warm concession tents offering beverages and snacks like s’mores kits to enjoy by crackling bonfires, the annual event is a can’t-miss opportunity to embrace the holiday season.
Get ready to be immersed in color, light, and sound from Nov. 19 through Jan. 7, 2023. With 18 different spectacular features to explore along a tree-lined one-mile walking trail, this year’s event features six new exhibits to see! Along with returning fan favorites like Treemagination, Hug-a-Tree, the Champion Tree, Festival of Lanterns, and an expanded Golden Glade, of course. The renowned light show will also include a grand finale hosted in the Arboretum’s brand new Grand Garden (which opened on September 18).
The exhibitions are custom designed and developed for the Arboretum through partnerships with Lightswitch LLC. This year’s event will feature energy-efficient, eco-friendly LED lighting.
With a new take on the Grand Garden spectacular– known to all as a traditional favorite, this year’s installations are even flashier with a reimagined Meadow Lake Magic that’s been restructured to include 15-foot-high floating mirrored towers! Guests will be amazed by the bright light beams that shoot up into the sky. Don’t forget about the fun interactive features, like the new Shadow Play exhibit that includes a touch-free wall where you can express yourself through colorful casted shadows. As if it couldn’t get any more magical, two sculptures from artist Daniel Popper’s Human+Nature exhibition will be featured in this year’s exhibition.
A new addition to the lineup, the Electric Illumination series, caters to an 18+ crowd. Going from 9:30 PM to 11 PM, the special event includes a DJ-curated mix of music along with a stunning light show. For guests, 21+ bring in the holidays and enjoy craft beer tastings as you stroll along the Illumination trail at IllumiBrew, returning for a special pre-opening event on November 17th and 18th.
Tickets, which range from $7-$19 for members and $13-$24 for non-members (with children under 2 free of charge) went on sale on October 1st at mortonarb.org and can be purchased in person at the Arboretum Visitors Center. Illumination opens each evening at 4:30 PM and goes to 9:30 PM., with the last entry at 8:30 PM. Exceptions include Electric Illumination late-night hours.
Address: The Morton Arboretum 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL 60532
[Featured photo via: The Morton Arboretum]