Botanical Gardens new 'Gardens After Dark' series has 'Enchanted Winter Escape'

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens recently introduced a brand-new series of exhibits titled “Gardens After Dark.” It then introduced “Gardens After Dark: Enchanted Winter Escape” for 2021. This exhibit will take place on select evenings through Feb. 28. It will be complimented with a family night on Saturday, Feb. 6; a special promotion of a “Love Week” Feb. 8-14; and a buy one, get one free (BOGO) admission night, sponsored by National Grid, on Feb. 11.

Offered at different times throughout the year, “Gardens After Dark” is a new experience created to open the Botanical Gardens in the evening for all to enjoy. The second exhibit of the series, “Enchanted Winter Escape,” will be held from 5:30-9 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays and the winter break week. It will continue on the following dates: Jan. 28-31 and Feb. 4-6, 11-21, 25-28. 

Visitors can enjoy this “Enchanted Winter Escape” as light bounces onto the exotic plant collection, snowflakes dance through the dome, rocks glow in the desert house and twinkling terrariums hang over head. The venue stated, “This one-of-a-kind experience is a perfect respite from the chaos and climate that will transport you into a tropical paradise. Bring a friend, co-worker, date, or family members.”

Each “Gardens After Dark” exhibit focuses on the Botanical Gardens’ mission of connecting people to the natural world in a new way and in a new light – literally. The Botanical Gardens will be filled with colorful and soft lighting to enhance and showcase its  plant collection and the larger-than-life historic conservatory that surrounds. Each exhibit in the series, the venue noted, “will bring a new way to experience the Botanical Gardens and provide feelings of inspiration, peace and calmness during these unprecedented times.”

New to the exhibit, will be a “Gardens After Dark” family night. The venue said, “Visitors can explore the magical gardens at night to enjoy a tropical evening out with social distancing and safety guidelines in place. Discover all kinds of things that glow in the dark while wandering through the Botanical Gardens on a scavenger hunt. Visitors can also meet some nocturnal species from prehistoric world with some slimy creatures one might find in their own gardens. Talk with educators about interesting plants and visit pollinator friends from Hahn's Honey Bees to learn more about the importance of pollinators. The fun continues at home with to-go activity bags!”

Part of “Love Week” will be a special “Gardens After Dark” BOGO. “Love Week” is designed to celebrate loved ones with opportunities to visit and support the Botanical Gardens.

“Gardens After Dark” tickets are $13.50 for adults, $12 for seniors (62-plus) and students (13-plus), and $7.00 for children (3-12). Tickets for Garden Members are $11.50 for adults, $10 for seniors and students. Guest passes, coupons and “Arts Access” passes are not valid during “Gardens After Dark.” Reservations are required for all visitors, including members, due to capacity limitations. Walk-ins may be turned away if capacity is surpassed. Tickets can be purchased online at buffalogardens.com. Masks are required at all times when visiting the Botanical Gardens.

The Botanical Gardens staff would like to make a note to the public that the venue will close at 4 p.m. on days that “Gardens After Dark: Enchanted Winter Escape” takes place.

The Botanical Gardens is unable to offer its annual evening light show, “Lumagination,” in 2021, due to the pandemic. It said, “The popular event will be missed, but organizers hope to bring it back in 2022 in the safest way possible. ‘Gardens After Dark’ is not intended as a replacement for ‘Lumagination,’ but is a new way to experience the Botanical Gardens.”