by Patricia Frischer
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Winter Cathedral with Blue Bonnets in the foreground both by Mandylights
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Lightscape at the San Diego Botanic Garden will light up the kid within
you with more than one million lights in a one-mile trail with 21 different
installations by a variety of artists. This showing is produced by Culture
Creative, a design firm from England and Scotland that produces these
events in the UK, Australia and the United States. Besides the million-dollar installations
there are a huge number of plants with lighting designed by John Stewart who is
local to San Diego. These were so impressive and highlighted the SDBG
collection. We were there at 5 pm and saw the sunset to the west and the higher
hills to the east lit by the sun. We found this twilight almost more magical
than the full dark as all of the planting participated in our enjoyment.
The
music is
a huge part of the experience and you can listen to it on site. This means that
your party (and yes, it is fun to go with a group) can hear with no headphones
to separate you. I think more than anything it is the music that sets the tone
for each work. Without the music, it is lovely lights, but the music gives it
context and story. Singing Trees by ITHACA Studio is a good example of this,
but I heard love songs, fairy music, Irish step dancing, jazz, Somewhere over
the Rainbow and, of course, holiday tunes and that creates the winter mood even
in southern California.
Catch this year's showing until Jan 5 2025. Every year there are new sights to see and because of the dips and rises of the trail you get different views at every turn you take. Make sure and look over your shoulder to where you have been on occasion. This is a first class experience from a world class venue.
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| Floraison by Pitaya a display of hanging California poppies. |
Floraison by Pitaya a California display of poppies.
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| Floraison by Pitaya a California display of poppies. |
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| Neon Network by Christopher Wren |
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| The Painted Landscape by John Stewart |
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| Submergence by Squidsoup, a curtain of lights on suspended ropes |
Submergence by Squidsoup, a curtain of lights on suspended ropes
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| Submergence by Squidsoup, a curtain of lights on suspended ropes |
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| Illuminated Fountain by John Stewart |
Illuminated Fountain by John Stewart
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| The waterfall lit by by John Stewart |
Pulse by Jon Stewart
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| Halo by John Stewart - illuminated and programmed balls on the lawn |
Halo by John Stewart - illuminated and programmed balls on the lawn
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| Cascade Tree by Culture Creatives with 400 cascading multi colored light tubes
suspended in an old Moreton Bay fig tree.
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Cascade Tree by Culture Creatives with 400 cascading multi colored light tubes suspended in an old Moreton Bay fig tree.
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Winter Cathedral with Blue Bonnets in the background both by Mandylights
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| Winter Cathedral with Blue Bonnets in the background both by Mandylights |
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| Flame Skimmers Dragonfly by Michael Young |
Star Avenue by ArtAV
Lightscape at the San Diego Botanic Garden
Showing
until Jan 5
300
Quail Gardens Dr, Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 436-3036
Culture Creative for
full info. Map
Reserve your tickets for dates through
January 5.
Tickets
are from $26 to $34 for adults, $13 - $17 for children ages 3-12, and are free
for ages 2 and under.
Entrance times are every 15-minutes starting and 5pm with the last entry being
8:30pm
Flex Tickets are also available, allowing entrance anytime between 5pm-8:30pm
for $60 per person including parking
Discounted
tickets are also available for San Diego Botanic Garden Members and active and
combat-disabled Military with I.D. (excluding flex tickets)
Advance
parking is $10 or $15 per vehicle depending on the date of your visit.
Parking increases by $10 on the night of the event
Food and Drink is available for purchase.
