Rare SF Light Show Surprises with Seasonal Magic

A mesmerizing new seasonal light show at San Francisco's Botanical Garden has quickly become a must-see attraction, drawing large crowds and generating excitement across the city. The event, called Lightscape, is the first large-scale nighttime attraction in the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, and it has already proven to be a hit with visitors.

Since November 21, guests have been lining up at the gate after the garden's usual dusk closure, eager to experience the immersive display. For a ticket price ranging from $32 to $42, attendees can explore a one-mile walking trail that transforms trees, shrubs, meadows, and ponds into a dazzling spectacle using 1 million multicolored LED bulbs.

"I just stopped and said out loud, 'Wow, this is beautiful,'" said Karoline Hatch-Berens, who wore a battery-powered LED vest with 100 of her own lights during her visit. The event has been selling out all 5,600 tickets on weekend nights, prompting the addition of extra weeknight dates starting December 10 and continuing through January 4.

The gates open at 5 p.m., rain or shine, with entry times staggered every 15 minutes through 8:15 p.m. Once inside, visitors can stay as long as they wish, though the temperature can dip into the 40s, making the experience chilly and damp. The attraction closes at 9:30 p.m., with the lights turned off by 10:30 p.m. so that local wildlife, like coyotes, can roam freely.

The Botanical Garden typically sees large crowds only during daytime events such as the fall Flower Piano music festival, winter magnolia bloom, and holiday free days. However, Lightscape has managed to draw similar numbers of visitors during nighttime hours.

For nearly a decade, the garden management team has searched for a night-time attraction, and they finally found the perfect fit with Lightscape. This collaborative effort involves Culture Creative, an organization based in the United Kingdom, Sony Music, and the public-private partnership that runs the garden. There are sister shows at botanical gardens in Brooklyn, Chicago, and San Diego, each tailored to its specific location.

Production costs are shared among the partners, along with revenue. The installation took three weeks, with international and local crews working around garden visitors during the day and testing the lights at night when the park was closed. Other light displays in the park include the city Christmas tree and Naga, a 100-foot sea serpent. Previously, the Conservatory of Flowers received a psychedelic treatment to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love in 2017.

Officials say that Lightscape stands out from other attractions. "The scale of what we have here is truly unprecedented," said Sarah Marsh, chief experience officer for the Gardens. "The show is not holiday-specific. It is a secular celebration of winter, with the plants as the star of the show."

There are 12 separate zones, each with its own theme and music. The entire experience takes about an hour and a half to complete, but visitors can take longer if they stop for hot chocolate, kettle corn, or food from the various trucks with retro neon signage. Guardrails are set up in unstable areas, and human guards serve as trail stewards to ensure safety.

"You can't get lost," said an usher. "We put up barricades like crazy." Despite this, some visitors, like Jill Korengolz and Linda Ng, managed to get separated from their group. They waited outside a tunnel of white lights known as the Winter Cathedral, which serves as the grand finale. Nearby, a 10-meter-tall phosphorescent full moon was suspended over the Moon Viewing Garden, creating a surreal effect as the real moon rose over the Sunset District.

"It makes beautiful use of nature and makes it all blend in," said Korengolz. "There are little spectacular pieces and this cathedral is very cool." Meanwhile, Kathleen and Jillian Wagner of Noe Valley managed to keep their year-old son Theodore close by, mainly because he was strapped into a stroller and wrapped in a double-wrapped blanket.

"He really likes the lights," said Kathleen. "You can't find many activities for a kid his age. You can't take him to a movie theater, so the light show was fun for him to watch without being able to fully understand what was going on. He doesn't know Santa yet, so it's fun to have something that he can just watch that is also in the holiday spirit."

Hatch-Berens, a graphic designer who lives in the Haight, initially thought the tickets were a bit expensive, but she quickly changed her mind once she saw the display. Her 3-year-old son, Ajax, wore a glowing neon green light belt, while his father, Glenn, opted not to wear any lights. "Luckily he speaks very loudly so we can hear where he is," Hatch-Berens said.

They were part of a group of eight, spanning three generations, including her in-laws from Chicago, who made the event their seasonal starter. They spent the customary hour and a half exploring the trail, stopping for kettle corn and a Fort Point Kolsch ale for his dad.

The next day, Hatch-Berens bought tickets to return with Ajax and bring her mom, sister, and nephew for another round of the experience. "The kids loved it," she said, adding one piece of advice based on her experience: "If you are going with a toddler, wrap them in lights because they run away."

For more information and tickets, visit gggp.org/lightscape/