Holiday Hi-Lights 2024 with Zachary Pearson
My passion is seeing how lights enhance the environment while telling a story. As Vice President of the IESNYC, my goal is to continue to share light as an art form and encourage the next generation to embrace the possibilities and never stop exploring. Over the years, I have been fortunate to visit light festivals worldwide. This Holiday Season, I continued to attend festivals in our area and am sharing my experiences at three of them with recommendations for how best to experience them.
I invite you all to visit one, or several, of these events to see the enchantment light brings to the dark winter season. It is inspiring to get out and see the magic that our medium, light, is able to create.
Lightscapes at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden
Open Until January 5th, 2025
bbg.org/lightscape
Continuing their incredibly successful curation of impressive and impactful installations from a collection of light and installation artists, Lightscape returns with another show stopping event with an array of outstanding light art from international and local creators. Sixteen installations are distributed throughout the Botanical Gardens, utilizing the dynamic settings available including fountains and reflecting pools, tree-lined corridors, winding paths, the terraced hillside, and both large lawns.
Enchanted Waters by Sense Effects acts as an impactful introduction to what guests can expect as they journey through this year's event with vibrant colors and precision choreography with the scoring. As a perfect follow up to this performance, Cascade Walk by Culture Creative immerses visitors in a magical forest scene to stroll through or pause and enjoy with a beverage from the conveniently placed refreshment stand while colors swirl through the trees and shimmer exuberantly along with the music. Singularity by Squidsoup serves as one of this year's most iconic and visually engaging installations that can be enjoyed upon first approach, but which also has a space off the main path allowing guests to pause and enjoy Singularity's full show before progressing down the lawn. Tilt once again returns with more of their incredible large scale installations, this year, with both Alumine and Anemonia, which are fantastical to wander through and showcase coordinated colored illumination befitting of their individual soundtracks. Clark Everett, this year's overall trail designer, adds a lively show of color and movement with Love, Love, Love as well as collaborating with Culture Creative to bring to life Halo and working with Devon Allen in the delightfully saturated Rainbow Road.
Visit Tip: After several years with the heart of the Lily Pool Terrace remaining shuttered, this year provides the exciting opportunity to enter the stunning Palm House to warm up and enjoy a seasonal beverage. Reservations can also be made on-line to enjoy a meal at Lightscape Lodge and Bar, creating a full evening experience for your visit to Lightscape this winter.
Pro tip: The iconic field light show towards the end of the experience can, and should, be viewed from two distinct vantage points—from the initial viewing level adjacent to the installation and from one of the overlook paths winding up the final hill. Also, be sure to take a moment to stop and enjoy the music that accompanies the different installations, this year featuring some of event sponsor Sony's iconic scores, such as Polar Express and Harry Potter.
Holiday Lights (Bronx Zoo)
Open Until January 5th, 2025
bronxzoo.com/holiday-lights
Encounter intricate tableaus of realistic animal lanterns in natural environments organized by continental trails. Roving puppeteers, stilt performers, theatrical variety shows, ice carving demonstrations, interactive play areas, and strolling illuminated icons make this event an immersive experience for the whole family. Vibrant new additions to the event's interactive exhibits include the opportunity to design your own sea creatures to be added live into the virtual aquariums in the Enchanted Sea, a colorful tree walk with a collection of twinkling trees that respond to engagement by showcasing individual light shows, and new light-art experiences allowing patterns and effects drawn by guests to be displayed in real-time on large pixel arrays. Enjoy cozy, make-your-own s'mores over a fire at The Patio or food and beverage offerings at Dancing Crane Plaza. Make sure to plan time to watch the lightshow at Astor Court —which has expanded to bring the choreographed lights across more of the plaza—and meet the stilt performers before or after their performance in the light show.
Visit Tip: Although the 3PM ticket will allow entry at the end of the Zoo's typical hours, most exhibits will be closed shortly after the 3PM arrival time and the evening's offerings don't become available until much closer to the main events launch at 5PM.
Pro Tip: Try delicious bites, featuring toasty empanadas and specialty adult beverages, only offered in the Somba Village. Consider enjoying their seating area for a mid-event refresh or picking up snacks and sips to enjoy as you continue to stroll through the North America Trail.
LuminoCity (Eisenhower Park)
Open Until January 5th, 2025
luminocityfestival.com
LuminoCity returns to Eisenhower Park this winter and brings back a slice of their signature style of whimsy and magic. This year's display provides a more modest layout, but includes a towering new, walk-through winter castle and sparkling frozen wonderland. The fan-favorite dinosaur expansion seems to have gone extinct this year, but larger, filled out scenes create more immersive lands including a Candy Land, a Frozen Wonderland, and a Shimmering Trail. Photo ops are scattered throughout the layout, including a feature carriage scene and several illuminated figures to pose with and within along the final path. Our favorite mascot, Lumi the light bulb, returns within many of the displays, but light bulb themed Luminocity souvenirs and gift shop are notably missing this year. For a charming tangible memory, consider the add-on with your ticket purchase, which is the only way to acquire a Lumi for your own desk this year without visiting their online shop.
Visit Tip: This year, a second location of Luminocity is hosted in New Jersey's Freehold Raceway Mall, which appears to have received the acclaimed Alice in Wonderland collection as well as a Prehistoric Journey.
Pro Tip: Enter through the North Gate entrance to see the main entry archway and pass through both the tunnel of animated lights and iconic donut arches.
