Old Westbury Gardens Creates New Holiday Experience

OLD WESTBURY, NY — For the first time, Old Westbury Gardens is hosting a holiday-themed walkthrough event. Opening on Nov. 20, Shimmering Solstice will offer visitors the opportunity to take in a series of light displays as they walk along the meandering paths of Old Westbury Gardens’ Walled Garden, Rose Garden, South Lawn and Allée.

Tickets are on sale now. The event opens Nov. 20 and runs through Jan. 9, 2022. The admission time starts at 5:30 p.m. and the last admission is at 9:30 p.m. The gates close at 11 p.m. Tickets are $32.95 for adults and $17.95 for kids ages 3-17 at peak times, and $29.95 for adults and $16.95 for kids at off-peak times. You can purchase tickets here. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

“We are excited to offer this brand-new experience for our visitors to enjoy,” said Nancy Costopulos, president and CEO of Old Westbury Gardens. “This walkthrough lightshow has been designed specifically for Old Westbury Gardens and offers a one-of-a-kind experience that we intend to become a new annual holiday tradition.”

Shimmering Solstice, sponsored by Catholic Health, is a completely custom-built show that has been uniquely designed to highlight the features of Old Westbury Gardens. The design phase took approximately 18 months to plan. Old Westbury Gardens worked with Lightswitch, a collective of internationally recognized lighting, media and visual designers, to create the show with the intent of celebrating the garden's history and environment during the fall and winter seasons.

“The design will truly embrace the Gardens,” said Warren Kong, principal at Lightswitch. “The goal is to create something that is unique. We wanted to give people something they can’t see down the street from their homes and create a new family tradition for the region.”

Some examples of what visitors will see include both the formal Rose Garden and Walled Garden blooming with light and twinkling in lively rhythmic patterns. Other unique features include enormous dandelions which will line the edge of the pond and a giant Christmas tree, made of lit globes, that will be displayed in front of Westbury House. Many other light displays will be found throughout the garden areas for visitors to discover.

This event is something people of all ages will enjoy. The walk-through portion of the show is designed for visitors to explore at their own pace. For the finale, visitors will see the south facade of Westbury House come alive in a magical and wondrous display of lights and sounds, celebrating the spirit of the season.

For more information on Shimmering Solstice, click here.