CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – See trees in a new light – in more ways than one – at Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum.
Illumination returns to the Arboretum for its seventh year with new displays, as well as old favorites. Be surrounded by color and seasonal music as you walk a one-mile paved path amid interactive lighting effects that highlight 50 acres of the Arboretum's most beautiful landscapes.
"It should be a little broader, a little slower, more open. It takes you around an unexpected corner," Sargent said.
The path also takes you to the brand new Tree Fascination, which was inspired by the work of the science teams at the Arboretum. The Tree Fascination display takes elements from the popular Treemagination display, mixing art and science and using video projection to showcase the beauty and form of trees using color and pattern.
"It is really beautiful," Sargent said. Also new, "we always have the path go past Meadow Lake, and this year if you are used to the lights on Meadow Lake, you will notice that they are now responsive to the wind, so as the wind blows across Meadow Lake the lights will change pattern and color to follow the wind."
Another returning favorite is the grand finale Fantasy Forest – but don't worry it has been redesigned and probably something you have never seen before.
"It is a surprising display and it contains music that was composed specifically for this event, so it is probably music that you have never heard before. It is probably a way of seeing lights that you weren't expecting," Sargent said. "It is particularly spectacular if it is snowing or raining or mist, so this is one of those instances where Chicago weather comes in and really helps us pull something off."
"The first year we opened we had 88,000 visitors and last year we had 183,000, so I think it has really become a part of people's holiday traditions. It is a unique experience. The mile walk through woods and along water is gorgeous," Sargent said.
"So there is really a lot of ways to enjoy the evening and it's something that is not like anything you can do in this area," she said. "It is really a chance to see trees in a new light."
Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum runs Nov. 23 through Jan. 5. First entry is at 4:30 p.m. Last entry is at 8:30 p.m. and the exhibition closes at 9:30 p.m. Illumination will be closed Nov. 25, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving), Dec. 2, 9, 16, 24 (Christmas Eve) and 25 (Christmas Day). Ticket prices range from $13 to $23 for adults and $7 to $15 for children and can be purchased online.
