WINCHESTER — Tonight through Nov. 30, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley will transform its gardens into a magical nighttime experience during Garden Lights.
Visitors can stroll through the gardens on an illuminated walking tour, experiencing interactive displays, treescapes awash with colored lights, and glowing pathways, according to an MSV media release. Highlights include cascading spotlights in the Grand Allée — a visitor-activated feature and returning favorite, an illuminated bamboo shadow wall, the Jasmine Allée transformed into a laser-lit tunnel, and thousands of glowing LED flowers scattered throughout the gardens.
“Garden Lights is a unique experience,” said Josh Huff, MSV director of community programs. “Visitors of all ages can interact with the lights, delight in unexpected surprises, and immerse themselves in nature after dark. We still have tickets available, but experience shows that as soon as the lights go on, they sell out quickly.”
For an added element of fun, eight gnomes are hidden throughout the gardens, and visitors are encouraged to try to find them during their tour.
Now in its third year, Garden Lights is a family-friendly fundraiser supporting MSV exhibitions, education programs, garden maintenance, and the operation of The Trails at the MSV.
New to the experience this year, Garden Lights tickets also include admission to the galleries, offering the chance to explore the special exhibition “Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray” and browse the Museum Store before or after experiencing the gardens.
Tickets range from $6.50–$19 (free for ages 4 & under; discounted for MSV members). Advance online purchase is strongly encouraged at www.theMSV.org/lights25 or by calling 540-662-1473, ext. 240. Nearly 10,000 tickets have already been sold.
Guests may purchase glow wands and rings, hot cocoa, mulled wine, popcorn, hot pretzels, and desserts to enjoy as they walk through the gardens. Garden Lights runs Wednesday through Sunday with timed entries every 30 minutes starting at 5:30 p.m. (closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thanksgiving Day).
Garden Lights is sponsored by iHeartMedia, Aikens Group, The Adams Companies, American Woodmark, Crescent Cities Charities, Love at First Bite Catering & Events, the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber, Warfel Construction, and the Ball, Warren & Branch Group.
A regional cultural center, the MSV is located at 901 Amherst St., Winchester, and features a galleries building with permanent and rotating exhibitions, the historic Glen Burnie House, seven acres of formal gardens, and The Trails at the MSV, a free-admission art park open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk. More information is available at www.theMSV.org.
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