Tucson Botanical Gardens presents LightsUp! A Festival of Illumination from now through January 12, six days a week.
A holiday light show designed by well-known garden landscape architect Tres Fromme, transforms the Gardens for the festive season. Six interconnected and sequenced zones create a shimmering holiday experience that is uniquely LightsUp! – Arrival, Welcome Walk, Whimsy Way, Bedazzled Boulevard, Star Shower, and Luminaria Lane.
In addition to clouds of over a million LED lights throughout the display, there are custom-built, oversized props including light tunnels, cypress-inspired spindle trees, punched-tin stars and a forest of silver trees, light curtains, luminaria chandeliers and archways. The Great Garden Express and 11’ crescent moon will make their LightsUp! debuts. All contribute to creating an unforgettable experience for the whole family to enjoy and a favorite holiday tradition in southern Arizona.
What’s New in 2024: The stars will shine over a 11’ tall crescent moon ready for a photo op; A silver forest of punched tin trees, The Great Garden Express model railway will be decorated with miniature luminarias and other teeny-tiny holiday decorations created by the Sonoran Desert Model Builders; and Fiesta de los Animales, a collection of Mexican folk-art animals sculptures, will be all aglow for evening viewing.
Need to Know: A gentle stroll through the show will take 45 – 60 minutes. The LightsUp! soundtrack is choreographed with the lights in some zones. Edna’s Eatery by Charly’s Grill will be serving a special graband-go menu, and Peddler on the Path will make a welcome return with hot beverages. Last year’s LightsUp! was enjoyed by nearly 30,000 attendees. LightsUp! tickets are timed, and dynamically priced.
About Tucson Botanical Gardens: Located on the site of the historic Porter family property in the heart of Tucson, Arizona, Tucson Botanical Gardens is a lush oasis set on nearly six acres. More than 7,000 plants are displayed in over twenty curated garden spaces including a world-class collection of cacti, grasses, flowers, and mature trees. Gardens include Cacti and Succulents of the World, Nuestro Jardín, a traditional MexicanAmerican neighborhood garden, Children’s Discovery Garden, and many more that showcase the diversity of plants that can thrive in the Sonoran Desert.
The Great Garden Express is a G scale model railway set in an Arizona, Sky Island inspired landscape, and the Gardens is home to the only tropical butterfly pavilion in Southern Arizona, open October – May. Tucson Botanical Gardens offers rotating art displays, community classes, events, and international exhibits. The café at Edna’s Eatery by Charly’s Grill serves a seasonal menu daily. Event services are available for groups, weddings, and social gatherings. The Tucson Botanical Gardens is located at 2150 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712.
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