Expanded pathway and imaginative, new elements pay tribute to the beauty and gift of trees during the holiday season
Returning for its seventh year, Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum is a one of-a-kind interactive spectacle of color, light and sound that will awe and delight visitors with all-new features and returning favorites.
From November 23, 2019, through January 5, 2020, 50 acres of the Arboretum’s majestic trees will be transformed with lights and music. Embracing the Arboretum’s tree-focused mission as the champion of trees, this exhibition will take visitors on a journey along a winding, paved path through light-filled experiences that highlight the many ways trees are a gift to people and communities.
Prior to the public opening, Illumination will kick off on Friday, November 22, with IllumiBrew, a ticketed, pre-opening event that allows guests 21 and older to be among the first to see the 2019 exhibition while enjoying beer tastings along the trail.
In addition to family favorite features such as Treemagination and Symphony Woods, this year’s exhibition will offer several new experiences such as Tree Fascination, a brilliant digital projection of immersive color and pattern on a grove of eastern white and scots pine trees.
This year’s event will also debut a new route with a more spacious pathway.
New features in 2019:
- 2019 marks the debut of Tree Fascination. A mixture of art and science, this experience uses video projection to demonstrate research techniques that use photogrammetry to scan trees for scientific study.
- A new route and expanded pathway will expand the experience for visitors. Illuminated words such as “Champion,” “Tree” and “Breathe” will guide and inspire visitors along the enhanced trail that is more than one mile long.
- The young and the young at heart will find favorite interactive experiences including Hug-a-Tree, where visitors can hug a tree and watch it respond with pulsating light; Tree Harmony, where individuals or groups can watch the lights glow and move to the sound of their singing; and Ornament Hill, where visitors can control the color of giant, glittering orbs.
Entertainment and Special Events:
- IllumiBrew, Friday, November 22
As they enjoy beer tastings along the Illumination trail, guests 21 and older will be among the first to see the 2019 exhibition during this pre-opening, ticketed event. Illumination will open to all visitors beginning Saturday, November 23. - Santa Visits, Tuesdays, December 3, 10 and 17
Every Tuesday between Thanksgiving and Christmas will offer an opportunity for children to visit with Santa. - Troll Hunt, daily
Throughout Illumination, visitors will have the opportunity to see a lit-up “Alexa” and “Joe,” two of the giant wooden sculptures from the popular and beloved Troll Hunt exhibition.
Concession tents and cozy fire pits along the Illumination trail will feature snacks and beverages, including gourmet hot chocolate. Visitors can also enjoy a full dinner menu every night of Illumination at the Ginkgo Restaurant and Ginkgo Café.
Returning Favorites:
- Created exclusively for The Morton Arboretum by Smithsonian-featured collaborative installation arts collective HYBYCOZO, the Crown of Light experience features five steel sculptures with laser-cut patterns that beam lights of brilliant, vivid color. If weather permits, guests will be able to venture off the path for close-up views of the pieces.
- Meadow Lake Magic has been enhanced with tendrils of light that change color in response to the wind as they meet on the water’s surface
- Symphony Woods, a joyful celebration set to well-known seasonal music and a beloved visitor favorite, has been refreshed with new music for 2019.
- In a new, secluded location, visitors can experience the magic of Woodland Wonder, where they will be enveloped by a visual duet between thousands of luminous, rotating points of laser light and starlike sparkles from dozens of gently rotating mirror balls.
- Silhouetted by brilliant up-lighting, The Champion Tree — a stunning, iconic honey locust —provides the axis around which Illumination rotates.
- The Crystal Promenade offers the deep quiet and beauty of a grove of conifers, lit with chandeliers.
- In the Enchanted Forest, visitors can push buttons to make light and colors skip from tree to tree.
- Using a grove of trees as a viewing screen, Treemagination features dramatic projections that drench the trees with saturated fields of color, amazing geometric patterns and simulated movement.
- For the grand finale, a redesigned Fantasy Forest energizes the Hedge Collection with music and spectacular dancing lights.
"Whether you’re visiting for the first time or as part of an annual tradition, Illumination 2019 combines traditional guest favorites with new experiences and re-imagined installations that are sure to delight everyone,” said Sarah Sargent, Manager of Interpretation and Exhibits at The Morton Arboretum.
Tickets to Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum are on sale now. Ticket prices range from $13 to $23 for adults and $7 to $15 for children, with special early bird pricing available for members between October 1-31. To purchase tickets, visit mortonarb.org/illumination.
Illumination is generously supported by Invesco QQQ and ComEd.
About Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum
Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum invites visitors to see trees in a different light on a path just over one mile, surrounded by 50 acres of the Arboretum’s trees and brought to life with LED lights, interactive elements and sound. With accolades from local and national media including Condé Nast Traveler and USA Today, Illumination has quickly become a winter tradition, welcoming visitors from around the world. The event is built in partnership with noted experiential lighting designers Lightswitch and production company Intelligent Lighting Creations (ILC), and features energy-efficient, eco-friendly LED lighting.
About The Morton Arboretum
The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized outdoor tree museum and tree research center located in Lisle, Illinois. As the champion of trees, the Arboretum is committed to scientifically-informed action, both locally and globally, and encouraging the planting and conservation of trees for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world. On 1,700 acres are 222,000 plant specimens representing 4,650 different kinds of plants, along with specialty gardens, educational exhibits, the award-winning Children’s Garden, 16 miles of hiking trails and the Visitor Center, featuring The Arboretum Store and the Ginkgo Restaurant and Café. The Morton Arboretum is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
