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See inside Brooklyn Botanic Garden's first-ever holiday lights show

There's a total of about one million lights.

Shaye Weaver
Written by
Shaye Weaver
Editor, Time Out New York
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Brooklynites finally have their own holiday light show at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

For the first time in its history, the BBG is welcoming visitors between November 19 and January 9 to its very own light installation called "Lightscape," presented in partnership with Sony Music.

On Thursday night, Time Out New York got a sneak peek of the show, which winds its way through the 52-acre garden set to uplifting music that spurs the imagination. 

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Lightscape is not a Christmas-centric spectacle—it's a celebration of light that incorporates art and music that people from all cultures and beliefs can enjoy, especially as the days get shorter.

Garden-goers will walk through a colorful forest of illuminated trees and come across a pond where lasers shoot across and reflect off the water and a Cathedral of Light tunnel, as well as see a Fire Garden on Lily Pool Terrace, a Field of Light and an animated light installation covering Cherry Esplanade. The colorful light displays highlight the garden’s trees, landscapes and architecture with more than 18 distinct works of art, including a series of works by local artists in the Plant Family Collection. All in all, there are about one million lights featured in the show.

Visitors can grab hot chocolate or apple cider to enjoy on their walk and can make their own s'mores. (The apple cider also comes spiked, if you so desire.)

"Lightscape" was launched at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London in 2014 and has sold out year after year across the U.K. and in Chicago. This is currently the only Lightscape on the East Coast!

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape
Photograph: Rikard Osterlund, courtesy Sony Music
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape
Photograph: courtesy Sony Music
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape
Photograph: Shaye Weaver/Time Out
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape
Photograph: courtesy Sony Music
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape
Photograph: Maria Belo, courtesy Sony Music
Lightscape Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Photograph: Shaye Weaver/Time Out

Lightscape at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden tickets are $34 and $18 for children under 12 and must be purchased in advance and time slots may sell out. 

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