New York Botanical Garden to host ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’-inspired light trail this fall

A Tim Burton-themed light trail is coming to the New York Botanical Garden this fall. Running on select nights from September 27 through November 30, the light experience inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” will illuminate the garden with iconic characters, scenes, and songs from the classic Disney film. The immersive outdoor experience features over 8,300 square feet of stunning light installations, interactive video projections, LED lighting, and 3D-printed sculptures of Jack Skellington, Sally, and other beloved characters from the movie.

Created by Adventurelive, the experimental entertainment company behind Broadway’s “Hamilton,” and Madrid-based company LETSGO, this first-of-its-kind light experience uses cutting-edge technology to bring Tim Burton’s signature artistic vision to life. Visitors will embark on a journey through the fun and spooky world of the 1993 film.

“I want to make an experience that surprises people—that is both visually stunning and sonically cool. This is going to be a thrilling new way to experience both Tim Burton’s story and one of the greatest gardens on Earth,” Jeffrey Seller, founder of Adventurelife, said.

The light trail will be open from dusk to 10 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday from September 27 through November 30. Tickets start at $49 for adults and $39 for children and can be purchased here.

NYBG’s Fall-O-Ween is also returning for another year, transforming the garden into the city’s pumpkin headquarters. Running from September 28 through October 27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., guests can enjoy live music, craft beer, and a slew of outdoor activities set against a vibrant, fall-themed backdrop featuring hundreds of pumpkins, gourds, and flowers.

Master pumpkin carver Adam Bierton will also return this year to craft his intricate nature-inspired pumpkin carvings and to host a pumpkin-carving competition.

Following Fall-O-Ween, the fall festivities will continue with Fall Forest Weekends, celebrating the stunning autumnal foliage in the garden’s Thain Family Forest. Additionally, the garden will showcase its stunning chrysanthemum display, “Kiku: Spotlight on Tradition,” in the Nolen Greenhouses.

Tickets for Fall-O-Ween can be purchased here.

This isn’t the first time the NYBG has been transformed into a fantastical landscape. On view since May, the NYBG’s ongoing “Wonderland: Curious Nature” exhibition has morphed the garden’s 250 acres into an Alice in Wonderland-themed whimsical paradise. The exhibition includes a 12-foot White Rabbit made of plants, larger-than-life mushrooms, gardens of the Victorian era, a large-scale chess set designed by Yoko Ono, and more.

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