Winter Lights 2023. Photo by Abby Cantrell
Beginning Friday, November 15, and running throughout December, the North Carolina Arboretum presents its 11th year of Winter Lights, the dazzling walk-through display of lights that, for many, has become a holiday tradition. The family-friendly event is the Arboretum’s largest fundraiser, with proceeds from attendance directly supporting programming throughout the year. The theme for this year’s newly designed display of more than one million lights is Seasons of Light.
Winter Lights 2023. Photo by Abby Cantrell
Like much of WNC, the Arboretum sustained damage to parts of its grounds from Hurricane Helene and employees have been working to restore its serenity and natural beauty ahead of the holiday season. “Our staff begins installing parts of Winter Lights in late July or early August,” says Brian Postelle, marketing and public relations manager for NC Arboretum. “After Helene, they are working even harder to get the show up and as amazing as it has always been.”
Ticket sales also help to fund salaries and improvements to the grounds. A recent statement on the website expresses the North Carolina Arboretum’s intention, with the event, to “offer a sense of wonder, place and perhaps even a temporary return to normalcy.”
Besides the usual magical attractions that visitors expect, including the 50-foot animated Tree of Light and the illuminated musical quilt garden, Winter Lights has a few surprises in store for guests this year. The Enchanted Oasis is an interactive installation in which light dances in response to touch, and the Ice Castle boasts silver spires that reach towards the sky.
Winter Lights 2023. Photo by Abby Cantrell
“Looking forward to the second decade of Winter Lights, we wanted a theme that would continue to shine a light on the natural world and the wild and natural spaces surrounding the garden,” says Postelle. “The seasonal changes are so pronounced in our gardens, and we wanted to incorporate that into Winter Lights.”
General admission tickets are sold on a per-vehicle basis, and are offered in three different tiered prices according to entry time—6, 7 or 8 p.m.—but guests may linger as long as they like until closing time at 10 p.m.
“One of the neat things about Winter Lights that people love is that there are things that appeal to every age,” says Postelle. “You don’t outgrow the fascination and wonder of Winter Lights!”
Find out more and purchase tickets for Winter Lights at NCWinterLights.com. Learn more about the Arboretum and its programs at NCArboretum.org. The North Carolina Arboretum is located at 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville.
