For the third straight year, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia will transform into a sparkling wonderland of lights this winter. Tickets are now available at wonderlights.uga.edu.
Winter WonderLights, presented by the UGA Office of the President, is being reimagined this year with new and exciting light displays. Visitors will travel through a Winter Wondercave, along Jingle Bell Lane, into the Northern Lights and through a Frosted Forest, among other dazzling features.
The show will run on select evenings from Nov. 22 through Dec. 30. The Alice Hand Callaway Visitor’s Center will be transformed into a holiday market, where guests can shop for gifts and souvenirs, including a chocolate Winter WonderBar created specially for the light show by Condor Chocolates in Athens. S’mores, Condor hot chocolate and coffee will be available for purchase throughout the light show.
Winter WonderLights at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at UGA is being reimagined this year with new and exciting light displays.
“Winter WonderLights allows us to showcase how beautiful the State Botanical Garden of Georgia is in winter and generate support for our impactful programs,” said Jenny Cruse-Sanders, State Botanical Garden of Georgia director. “We are so delighted to begin the show in November and introduce WonderLights Disco Nights at the beginning of the new year. I hope these additions allow more people to experience the garden as it sparkles at night during the winter season.”
The half-mile trail will take approximately 45-60 minutes to complete and is fully accessible. Tickets are $15 per person and free for children 3 and under. Friends of the Garden members will receive a 10% discount, as will groups of 20 or more people. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time online.
The Athens Banner-Herald recently named Winter WonderLights the best local event in Athens in its Community’s Choice Awards for the second year in a row. The show attracted over 56,000 visitors last year.
The show is presented by the University of Georgia Office of the President. Title sponsorship is provided by Athens Ford and Barron’s Rental Center. Other sponsors include Piedmont Athens Regional, The Frierson Parker Group – Merrill Lynch and valued members of the local community.
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is located approximately 70 miles east of Atlanta, at 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens, Ga. Free off-site parking and shuttle services will be provided in a UGA-owned and controlled lot off South Milledge Avenue. Paid parking at the garden is available for a limited number of vehicles and must be purchased when you buy tickets to the show. Ticket sales support the conservation and outreach work of the garden.
The Alice Hand Callaway Visitor’s Center will be transformed into a holiday market where guests can shop for gifts and souvenirs.
The garden will also offer a special event for the new year, WonderLights Disco Nights, on Jan. 4-7, 2024. Disco Nights will allow visitors to experience the light show trail while grooving to disco hits. Ticket prices and entry times will be the same as Winter WonderLights, and tickets are on sale now.
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Writer: Laurel Clark, laurel.clark@uga.edu
Contact: garden@uga.edu
About the State Botanical Garden of Georgia:
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach, is one of the state’s most treasured resources. With 323 acres of natural areas and cultivated gardens, the State Botanical Garden offers unique experiences for nature lovers. The garden offers eight specialty gardens, including the Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden, and over five miles of trails within an Audubon-designated important birding area. Throughout the year, the garden hosts educational programming, including camps, classes, workshops, concerts and festivals for visitors of all ages. Facilities across the garden feature art exhibits and annual lectures, including the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum.
The garden is also the headquarters for the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance, a network of more than 50 institutions, agencies and organizations committed to ecological land management, native plant conservation, and protection of rare and endangered plants.
(Photo by Shannah Montgomery)
