Lightscape, presented by Reliant, returns to Houston Botanic Garden with exclusive new North American debuts and “Bluebonnets” display unique to Texas

Internationally acclaimed lights and music show offers Houstonians unique entertainment for holiday season

Lightscape, the internationally acclaimed lights and music event, presented by Reliant, returns to Houston Botanic Garden through Jan. 1, 2023, with dazzling new displays, including two making their North American debuts.

Along with the exclusive-to-Texas installation, “Bluebonnets,” visitors will be the first in the United States to see “Framed” and “Nautilus Forest,” all created by Mandylights, a visual arts house with bases in Australia and the United Kingdom.

In its second year, the outdoor illuminated trail – with returning favorites such as the “Winter Cathedral,” “Neon Tree,” and “Fire Garden” – features exciting new creations by artists from across the globe. Nearly 80 percent of this year’s trail includes installations never before seen in Houston, offering Houstonians a unique new holiday experience.

The Garden presents Lightscape in partnership with Sony Music and Culture Creative, which have worked together for more than a decade now to sell out illuminated trails in various venues across the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries.

The artistry of the Lightscape installations is a perfect complement to the natural beauty of the Garden’s diverse plant collections, including the new display “Blossom,” by Pitaya of France, which places delicate illuminate flowers in the mature tree canopy of the Garden’s natural ecosystem. “Bluebonnets” presents a field of 2,000 flowers that come alive at dusk with LED pixel lighting bathing the landscape in bold blue and white light.

“Framed” features 20 geometric arches lined with brilliant color-changing, pixel-mapped LED fittings to create a unique tunnel of light effect. The “Nautilus Forest” draws from both nature and precise geometry to create an illuminated forest of 24 spiraling trees up to 15 feet tall.

“Our second year of Lightscape will be stunning,” says Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel of Houston Botanic Garden. “We are excited about the new installations making their debuts, especially ‘Bluebonnets,’ which celebrates the iconic state flower of Texas. In addition, with a couple of U.S. debuts along the trail, this year’s Lightscape will literally be like nothing you have seen before in Houston, and beyond.”

Whether it is a family outing, date night, or “girls’ night out,” Lightscape is sure to entertain and become a new holiday tradition. Before and after taking in the beautiful light installations on the trail, visitors can enjoy festive food and drinks, including fire pits for roasting s’mores, in the Garden’s inviting Pine Grove and spacious Culinary Garden.

Tickets for Lightscape are on sale at www.hbg.org/lightscape for select nights through Jan. 1, 2023, with admission timed at 15-minute intervals. The Houston Botanic Garden recommends purchasing early, to ensure getting your preferred date and timed entry before the exhibit sells out.

The cost for Lightscape is $28 for adults and $18 for children. Those with Garden memberships receive a $2 discount off timed ticket prices. There are a limited number of off-peak nights during the run with reduced timed ticket rates. Flex passes – offering an extended entry window – are also available.

The Houston Botanic Garden, with its diverse gardens and ecosystems, is open daily for the enjoyment of the public. Consider becoming a Garden member, which gives you discounts on admission and special events, along with other benefits. Go to www.hbg.org to learn more.

The Garden is located at One Botanic Lane, off the Gulf Freeway (I-45) at Park Place Boulevard, just south of downtown Houston.

Photos courtesy of Houston Botanic Garden