DENVER — As the holiday season quickly approaches, crews at the Denver Botanic Gardens are hard at work preparing for the Blossoms of Light show, which is set to open on Nov. 20.
The twinkling lights illuminate the gardens, allowing guests from near and far to see the variety of plants and trees growing along the paths.
"It's an incredible way to activate the gardens in a quieter season of typical visitorship and when our plants are dormant and not as flashy and colorful. To bring the color and the sparkle by way of lights but also still interacting with the plants that are here year-round," said Erin Bird, director of communication for the Denver Botanic Gardens.
To make this twinkling show come to life, crews begin installing lights the day after Labor Day. Planning for new pieces happens well in advance of the winter season.
"We never stop planning Blossoms of Light. It's actually about a 13-month planning process," said Kristi Horvath, manager of public events at Denver Botanic Gardens. "We will start designing next year's show about two weeks after we open this year because it's much easier to see and imagine what you might want different when you can see the lights that are already up."
For some, the glow from the gardens marks a special holiday tradition. Blossoms of Light first opened in 1985. Horvath said the team works hard each year to make the show bigger and better.
"We also have a brand new display that will be featured in the Plains Garden called Plains-A-Glow. We're very excited to debut [that]. And we will have a new reimagining of Gates Montane, which is a fan favorite garden, that will feature new components, including a new lighting scheme as well as a herd of illuminated deer," Horvath said.
Blossoms of Light will run from Nov. 20 through Jan. 12 and will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Tickets already selling out for some dates online.
The Denver Botanic Gardens saw a record number of visitors last year with over 195,000 guests, according to Bird. This year, they added extra dates so more people could come.
"Blossoms of Light generates significant revenue for the gardens. That supports total operations but also important programs like plant conservation and research, children's education and community outreach," Bird said.
At the heart of this display is a crew that works year-round to ensure the holiday magic is shared and felt by those of all ages.
"Every single decision has been made with intention and planning and often across multiple departments," Horvath said. "It truly is an institution-wide event that requires tons of people to create and develop and execute. And so, when people come and have a good experience with the design, I just want them to know that it's not one happenstance. It takes human beings on every step of the way to make sure that it happens beautifully."
