Lightscape

Chicagoland had a new Winter treat this year. at of all places. the Chicago Botanic Garden, a place where one would not expect a “Winter Wonderland”! From November 22nd thru January 5th ( all sold out til Sunday) a very special treat in Glencoe.This is the U.S. debut of the following installations by artists from Australia and U.K.:

• Cathedral of Light—A towering cathedral-window arch of 100,000 lights that extends along a magnificent 110-foot tunnel.
• Fire Garden—Simple, festive, gently glimmering fire-filled sculptures fragrant with frankincense that create an area of contemplation.
• Singing Trees—Festooned with more than a half-mile of LED lights, ten large trees perform as a choir in harmony and light up individually as they sing a holiday favorite.
• Feast of Light—A large, immersive, walk-through experience with suspended strands of light to create feelings of presence and movement.
• Field of Light— A festive finale with thousands of points of light that dance their way to music in multiple patterns and colors.

Additionally, artists from the U.K. will create new installations just for the Chicago Botanic Garden that reimagine several Garden favorites, including:

• A canopy of 52 crabapple trees will “bloom” with twinkling lights along the Lakeside Gardens.
• 40 oversized colorfully lit tulips will appear in flower beds between the boxwood hedges throughout the Helen and Richard Thomas English Walled Garden.
• A cascade of water will be “turned on” in the Waterfall Garden.

To build upon the enjoyment of exploring color, imagination and sound, attendees will have the opportunity to toast marshmallows over a fire, sip hot chocolate or cider, get their eggnog fix and more at stations throughout the enchanting trail. We waited until we could take the family, after winter break and my Santa duties, but it was worth the wait. Every evening as the sun began to set, people swarmed to the Botanic Gardens and checked in for thei ropportunity to see and be a part of the Lightscape work of art. The path is about a mile in length and takes about 90 minutes to complete. Some of the time is waiting in line for SMORE kits ( a mere $7 complete with stick) and the standing over the open fire to get your ‘smore “just right”!

They will learn for seasons to come from the first experience. One of the things we found is that the “finale” was missed by many. They saw the main building and ran for either the restrooms, warmth or something more to eat, missing one of the highlights of the evening “The Field of Light”. This had thousands of lights that were co-ordinated to perfection with holiday music. We stood between the lights for about 8 minutes and were mesmerized by the sheer artistry of the U.K. artists.

We had a ball! Our grandkids, Adam ( soon to be 15), Sarah ( 11) and Rebecca (9) all loved the special evening that we had. We arrived for our 4:45 p.m. check-in and by 5 p.m. were on the course. There were many photo ops and the crowd control was very effective. The attendees all had a smile and warm feelings for one another and there was not a push or angry word spoken.

We left , smiling and went to a nearby restaurant for dinner ( we could have eaten at the Garden, but the kids wanted a special restaurant). I know that we are looking forward to this event returning in 2020 and I know it will get even better every year. I am positive that “Lightscape” at Chicago Botanic Garden will become an annual event that will go on for generations.