Holidays after dark: 1 million lights dazzle at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Brooklyn is officially lit.

New York City’s newest holiday attraction, Lightscape, has arrived at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, where visitors can now enjoy an after-dark stroll through the sprawling green space illuminated by the moon — and more than 1 million lights.

The dazzling “immersive” experience, which opened Nov. 19, features a vast assortment of non-denominational light-based art spread over the garden’s 52 acres.

“Lightscape is a magical holiday light exhibition with brilliant art elements accompanied by a lively and sophisticated, NYC-celebrating soundtrack,” Brooklyn Botanic Garden president Adrian Benepe told The Post. 

The attraction takes approximately an hour — we timed it — to walk through, and features 60,000 pea lights, 630 lighting fixtures and 600 strand lights, as well as a fire installation. The jaw-dropping display took a 20-person staff 18 days to install and is aptly sponsored by Con Edison.

Highly Instagrammable, the million lights compose 42 sculptures, eight chandeliers, five giant light peonies, one interactive “Wish Tree,” two lasers, five new projected poems by “Another Brooklyn” author Jacqueline Woodson, a 98-foot-long tunnel (perhaps the most photogenic creation), 14,000 glowing orbs and more.

Courtesy of Sony Music

Courtesy of Liz Ligon

In addition to all of the lights, the exhibit also makes full use of the lush grounds and wraps satisfyingly around the property for a winding walk through the colorfully backlit nature. Speakers pumping everything from rap to jazz to holiday tunes and Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s cover of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” are placed throughout.

There are also various opportunities to indulge in seasonal concessions including candy cane hot chocolate ($6), spiked apple cider ($13) and s’mores ($9). 

An English export, the exhibit began in London in 2014, where it proved wildly popular. 

“Lightscape was born in England at London’s Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew nine years ago, and is a contemporary update of the ‘British Invasion’ of the Beatles and Rolling Stones of yesteryear,” Benepe told The Post, before adding that the show is “the biggest, best, and most technically extravagant outdoor light exhibition in New York City history!”

Of course, the legendary Dyker Heights lights are tough competition, but Lightscape does offer a more curated experience with about as diverse of as a holiday light show one can have — albeit at the cost of $34 for adults and $18 for children 3 to 12 (children 2 and under are free, and BBG members also receive a small discount). 

Lightscape is up through Jan. 9, 2022 at the BBG.