Winter Garden aGlow Returns to Idaho Botanical Garden With Expanded Lights

Nine hundred thousand holiday lights will illuminate the Idaho Botanical Garden starting November 27.

The annual Winter Garden aGlow event returns to Boise, running through December 31, with expanded walk-through exhibits, the Idaho Botanical Garden reported. This year’s iteration introduces the Lake of Lights on Outlaw Field, the Garden’s outdoor summer concert venue, and extends the display into the 10-acre expansion area that first opened to the public in August.

For the nonprofit organization, the event serves as its largest annual fundraiser. The revenue generated from the tens of thousands of seasonal visitors provides the necessary funding for the Garden’s year-round horticulture, educational programs, and nature connection efforts.

Idaho Botanical Garden's Winter Garden Aglow Lights Up Boise — Idaho News 6

“I’ve been part of the Garden for more than 10 years, and one of my favorite things about Winter Garden aGlow is seeing families come back year after year,” said Erin Anderson, Executive Director of the Idaho Botanical Garden. “The lights are beautiful, but it’s the people who make this event so special.”

The scale of the event has grown alongside the physical footprint of the grounds. An additional 50,000 lights have been added to cover the newly opened sections of the Garden. Beyond the illumination of trees and pathways, the event includes community-driven traditions such as Gingerbread Lane, featuring houses built by local residents, and the Jerome the Gnome Garden Scavenger Hunt.

To address the diverse needs of the Boise community, the Garden is implementing specific accessibility and sensory accommodations. Sunday evenings are designated as sensory-conscious experiences, offering a more subdued environment for guests who may find large-scale holiday light displays overstimulating. While roughly 75% of the 32-acre site is wheelchair accessible, officials said that pathway conditions may change depending on the weather.

“Everyone experiences the holidays differently, and we want Winter Garden aGlow to be a tradition more people can enjoy,” Anderson said, noting that the inclusion of discounted evenings and sensory-conscious Sundays is a direct effort to increase community accessibility.

The Garden has restructured its admission options to provide several tiers of entry. While standard adult tickets are priced at $20, the organization is offering discounted rates on Wednesdays and Sundays. The following table outlines the specific pricing adjustments available for these designated days:

Ticket Type	Standard Price	Discounted Price (Wed/Sun)
Adult Admission	$20	$16
Youth Admission	$16	$11
Children Under 3	Free	Free

Military members and veterans are also prioritized through specific admission policies. Active-duty military personnel can access the event for free throughout the entire run by presenting a valid military ID at the admission kiosk. Veterans are offered complimentary entry on three specific dates: November 29, December 15, and December 28, provided they present a valid Veteran Identification Card (VIC).

Visitors can also find seasonal food and drink, including hot cocoa, cookies, and festive beverages at the Yuletide Bar on select evenings. For those looking for gifts, the Garden Store will be selling holiday items and 3D glasses designed to alter the visual experience of the light displays. Tickets are available exclusively through the official Idaho Botanical Garden website.

The event concludes at the end of the year, following a schedule of community choir performances and select appearances by Santa.