Illuminations is not only one of the best places to see spectacular Christmas light displays in Wichita, the event is one of the top holiday light destinations in the Midwest. The display has been selected for five years in a row as one of USA Today’s 10Best botanical garden holiday light displays, and is in the running for a sixth year. Voting is taking place now through noon ET on Monday, Dec. 2.
Held in the main gardens at Botanica Wichita from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. from Nov. 29 through Jan. 4, 2025, it includes more than 2 million lights incorporated into various astonishing displays. There are multiple light displays choreographed to music, an underwater scene in the Shakespeare Garden, candy cane lane, a funky tree that takes 80 hours to adorn with light sculptures, Santa’s Village and so much more!
New for 2024
The gardens’ staff and volunteers find new ways to add more lights and displays every year. Even though favorite features will still be viewable, new light displays keep the attraction fun and fresh for guests of any age. Here’s what to expect this year:
- A vibrant, one-of-a-kind butterfly installation will debut this year in the Butterfly House.
- In 2022, a 62-foot-tall Christmas Tree was revealed and will be back for guests to enjoy in 2024. It’s one of the largest branched tree displays in the Midwest region. The tree is programmed with festive images and set to various holiday songs.
More than just lights
From more than 300 lighted trees to more than 8,000 holiday luminaries, Botanica’s garden areas are transformed into a winter wonderland. But there is more to Illuminations than just pretty lights.
Visit Santa nightly through Dec. 23. Kids are encouraged to bring a letter to Santa to drop off in his mailbox.
Enjoy creative holiday treats and dinner served by local food trucks. Warm up with hot coffee, cocoa or other specialty drinks. Snack on candy or popcorn and check out the merchandise for sale. All vendors accept credit/debit cards only; cash will not be accepted.
Tickets are timed & must be purchased in advance
As Botanica’s biggest fundraiser of the year, buying Illuminations tickets supports maintaining and growing the gardens.
Tickets must be pre-purchased online from Botanica’s website. No tickets will be sold at the gate. When purchasing online tickets, select the date and time you plan to attend and keep in mind that you must arrive within the 30-minute window on your ticket to enter. Print your tickets at home or simply pull up the barcode in the confirmation email on your phone when you arrive at the South Gate Entrance.
Illuminations tickets are $16 for adults, $13 for members, military members and seniors, $10 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for ages 3 and younger.
Illuminations hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. nightly through Jan. 4, 2025. Note that Botanica and Illuminations are closed Dec. 24-25 but open on Dec. 31. Timed admissions start at 5:30 p.m. and continue every hour until 8:30 p.m.
Parking Options
All Illuminations guests should park near the South Gate Event Entrance at 1912 W Sim Park Drive. There is a short walk to the South Gate Event entrance, which is where all guests for Illuminations must enter. The parking lot is fully lit and will have security present.
More parking information can be found on Botanica Wichita’s website.
Pack Your Patience
As the popularity of this event remains strong and crowds can be large, remember to be patient and kind when you attend Illuminations, especially if it’s a weekend night. Historically, the crowds are a little lighter on weekdays, so attend then if you can. Strollers and wagons will be hard to navigate with the number of people on the sidewalks on busy nights.
Enjoy Illuminations! Visit our calendar for other events to check out while you’re exploring Wichita during the holiday season.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
