Botanic Garden Offers Holiday Cheer
BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY: The event’s light display is annually designed by national garden designer Tres Fromme, of 3.Fromme Design, LLC.
By BLAKE AUSTYN
Contributing Editor
Tulsa Botanic Garden’s second annual Garden of Lights winter lighting festival runs weekly Thursday through Sunday through Jan. 5.
The event features music and over 200,000 lights throughout the garden, fire pits for marshmallow roasting, a pine tree maze, glowing lawn games and the Holiday Express Train. The Holiday Express will be available Thursdays through Saturdays to take visitors on a short ride to an area of the garden that is not accessible on foot and offers unique views of the light display.
New to the event this year include “Frost Bison” hiding in the Children’s Discovery Garden, glimmering light curtains in the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Floral Terraces, and four-foot-tall Art Deco lanterns.
The event’s light display is annually designed by national garden designer Tres Fromme, of 3.Fromme Design, LLC. Fromme’s design portfolio includes Atlanta Botanical Garden in Atlanta, Georgia; Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona; Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; and United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.
Also new this year are additional lights in the Children’s Discovery Garden, which lead visitors to the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Grange.
“Being in the garden any night is wonderful, but with the light display that we have created with our designer, it is magical. And with all of the activities going on, there’s really something for everyone,” says CEO Todd Lasseigne.
The Mabee Grange features many family-friendly activities, such as the Wishing Tree, a selfie booth and Botanical St. Nick, who is available for informal visits and photos Thursdays through Saturdays through Dec. 21, 6-9 p.m.
A returning favorite is the large-scale model train exhibit by the Tulsa Garden Railroad Club, to be on display in the Mabee Grange Dec. 12-15 and Dec. 19-22. Members of the Tulsa Garden Railroad Club will staff the 600-square-foot display, featuring multiple trains in holiday scenes.
A food truck will be on site for each evening of Garden of Lights.
Special to Sundays will be craft cocktails and live music in the Mabee Grange from 6-8 p.m.
Visit tulsabotanic.org for more details and to purchase tickets.
