Site icon Wellfield Botanic Gardens

Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights 2023

Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights, presented by Welch Packaging, returns, BIGGER & BRIGHTER, for a record 18 nights starting November 24, 2023!+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wellfield Botanic Gardens’ Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights, presented by Welch Packaging, will transport you to a magical setting with lights, sound and beauty, perfect for families to enjoy during the holiday season. Enjoy this special opportunity to see Wellfield after hours in a wintry paradise!

Featuring professional light displays accentuating the natural beauty of Wellfield, the ½-mile Promenade Pathway is aglow with color and texture, framing our Garden spaces as you’ve never seen them before! Experience this great event with family and friends while enjoying the sounds of the season around the Promenade. Purchase hot cocoa and treats for kids and adults alike from Navarre Catering at our concession tent, presented by Everwise Credit Union. Enjoy a boutique shopping experience in the Visitors Cottage, a great place to pick up that perfect gift for that special someone – or yourself!

You can purchase tickets at the gate when you arrive, or in advance by clicking “Purchase Tickets” links found here. Ticket pricing includes:
– Free parking
– Admission to the Gardens during the light show
– No online ticket fees!

PURCHASE TICKETS

To learn more details about our lights, scroll to the bottom of this page and check out our Frequently Asked Questions section below!

Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights
2023 Schedule
November 24-25-26
December 1-2-3, 8-9-10, 15-16-17, 20-21-22-23
December 26 & 27
(NOTE: on December 26 & 27, we are ONLY open for the lights, 5:30-8:30 p.m., NOT for general admission from 12-5 p.m.)
CLOSED on Christmas Eve-Sunday, December 24 and Christmas Day-Monday, December 25

5 p.m. – Wellfield closes for general admission
5:30 p.m. – Gates re-open for Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights
8:09 p.m. – Admission gate closes for the night
9:00 – Lights out!

PURCHASE TICKETS

Ticket Pricing:

PURCHASE TICKETS

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Looking for a great place to celebrate the holidays with family/friends, your office or church group? Our Event Plaza is a great place to gather and entertain!

CLICK HERE for our rental rates (dates shown may already be reserved, please contact us for more info!)

Group ticket discounts are available (for parties of 50 or more), as are private rentals and/or hospitality tent rentals; contact us at info@wellfieldgardens.org for more information.

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RETURNING IN 2023!
“Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights” – the book!
We’ve partnered with local author Roger Carlson to bring Holiday Lights to life, in book form! These make great gifts, and will help keep the magic of Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights alive all year ’round! We have copies available for purchase in our Visitors Cottage, and Roger will be on hand on select nights during Holiday Lights to personalize copies, as well. Get yours early – supplies are limited!

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Giving Tree Project Community Partners

Did you know, a portion of Wellfield’s Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights ticket sales is shared with local not-for-profit organizations? We partner with 16 organizations who decorate their own tree and help us through volunteering on “their” night. Enjoy the ‘Giving Trees’ decorated by each organization during your visit. Your ticket purchase not only supports Wellfield’s mission, it also supports other valuable not-for-profits in our community!

One of our most frequently asked questions is how people can support their favorite charity through our Giving Tree program? It’s simple: come out on that organization’s night and buy your tickets at the gate! Each organization will have volunteers onsite, so you’ll probably see some familiar faces, and their tree will be spotlighted.

2023 Giving Tree Partners (click the link to learn more about each organization and/or support them directly):

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Interested in Sponsoring our Event? We’d love to partner with you!
CLICK HERE for 2023 Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights Sponsorship Packages

Thanks to our 2023 PRESENTING SPONSOR:

Thanks to our 2023 MAJOR SPONSORS

Thanks to our 2023 SUPPORTING SPONSORS:

Thanks to our 2023 MUSIC SPONSORS

Thanks to our 2023 GLOW SPONSORS

Promotional Support Provided By:

Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography
Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography
Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography
Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography
Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography
Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography
Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography
Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography
Photo courtesy of Peter Ringenberg Photography

Have questions about the event? We’ve got answers!

When are you open?
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. each night of the show, and our last admission is at 8:09 p.m. You can visit anytime during that window. All guests must exit the Gardens by 9:00 p.m.

Can I get tickets at the gate, or do I have to purchase in advance?
You can get tickets at the gate the night you visit! Credit cards preferred.

Do we have to choose a night or time to visit?
NO – Tickets are good any night, and any time we are open for the lights – you choose!

Will you sell out of tickets?
NO – Tickets are plentiful – get them in advance or at the gate.

Do we need to be there right at 5:30?
NO. You can enter the Gardens any time while we’re open, from 5:30 – 8:09 nightly. And it’s actually not dark at 5:30, so we recommend arriving a little later for the full effect of the lights! Final admission is at 8:09 p.m. nightly; all guests must exit the Gardens by 9:00 p.m.

I received a ticket from my employer. Do I need to tell you what day/time I plan to visit?
No. If you’d like to add on to your group, additional (purchased) tickets are available at the gate. 

My ticket does not have a date on it. When can I visit?
Tickets are good any night! Additional (purchased) tickets are available at the gate.

Do I need my printed/paper ticket to get in?
YES – you must present a paper ticket or show us your ticket on your phone so we can scan them.

Can I show my tickets purchased online on my phone?
Yes, you can show your tickets purchased online on your phone’s screen – – be sure to have your phone’s display as bright as possible when presenting. We’ll scan your ticket at our pre-paid line!

Where should I park?
NEW IN 2023! Due to our Events & Visitors Center Expansion Project, Wellfield’s main lot will be reserved exclusively for pedestrians.

General Parking for Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights is available on the northeast corner of the Main Street and Simonton Street intersection. From there, it’s a short walk to Wellfield’s main entrance. Cross the street using the crosswalk and follow signs to the entrance. Please observe handicap parking signs and save those spots for those who need them!

How long does it take to see the lights?
Our main Promenade Pathway is approximately 1/2-mile around and our garden spaces wind in and out of that path; you can go as quickly or slowly as you’d like. Our paths will be one way around the Gardens. This may mean it takes a little longer, but with more lights, we would expect that! Most people are able to see the show in about 45-60 minutes.

Will the show go on, rain or (star)shine?
Yes! But if the weather is frightful and conditions are unsafe (think: lightning / emergency road closures / high winds / standing water / icy pathways), we reserve the right to close.

Please check our Facebook or Twitter page or call us at 574-266-2006 ext 105 if weather is severe. And if we do close one night, your tickets are good any other night!

Can I take a golf cart tour of the holiday lights?
No. While there will be a golf cart onsite for emergencies, we cannot have a cart on the route for safety reasons (darkness, families with small children, narrow pathways, and golf carts don’t mix).

Do you have wheelchairs available?
Two loaner wheelchairs are available in the Visitors Cottage and are available on a first-come, first served basis (must remain on the path). Other personal power-driven mobility devices (personal electric “scooters”) are permitted.

Are dogs or other pets allowed at Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights?
No. Due to congestion, darkness, and leash trip hazards, pets are not permitted at holiday lights or any other special/ticketed events at Wellfield. No exceptions. Our staff and volunteers are pet lovers, please don’t make them disappoint you (and them!).

Will the Children’s Garden be open during Holiday Lights?
Yes! Our Children’s Garden will be open during our Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights shows, with new special features you’re sure to love!

Are there restroom facilities in the Gardens?
Yes, there are restrooms available at the Event Plaza. Public restrooms are NOT available in our Visitors Cottage due to space constraints. Please plan ahead – you may want to “go before you go”, if you know what we mean!

Will food and drink be available in the Gardens?
Yes! Navarre Catering will be offering beverages and snacks on our Event Plaza. Cash and credit accepted.

I have a complimentary admission pass to the Gardens, can I use it to get in to Holiday Lights?
NO. Our general admission passes can be used on any day we are open for general admission, but are NOT valid for special/ticketed events such as our Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights.

I’m a member of another botanic garden and use that membership to visit Wellfield. Will my AHS reciprocal privileges allow me admission to your Holiday Lights?
No. As Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights is a special, ticketed event, AHS’ reciprocal garden program does not apply.

If I buy tickets and cannot attend on the night I planned, what do I do?
Your tickets are good any night. With 18 nights of Winter Wonderland, we’re sure you’ll find a night that works for you and your group. Can’t use your tickets? Tickets are transferable, so you can gift them to a friend, or we will graciously accept your ticket purchase as a donation to Wellfield. NO REFUNDS given, for any reason.

Why no Refunds?
We hope our 18 scheduled nights of Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights will provide you with ample opportunity to use the event tickets you purchased. As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization which derives all of its operating capital, development costs and endowment from private donations, annual memberships, private grants and earned income (like Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights tickets) and receives NO government or tax-based funding of any kind, we know you’ll feel the satisfaction of supporting Wellfield and its important Mission “to celebrate the inseparable relationship between water and life, inspire creativity and lifelong learning, foster stewardship of our natural world, and grow community”. 

Still have questions? Call us at 574-266-2006, x105 or email: info@wellfieldgardens.org. Thanks for reading all the way to the end!

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