Garden Lights, Holiday Nights returns with new rules at Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Timed tickets, mandatory masks and limited capacity introduced to keep holiday tradition going during COVID pandemic

Garden Lights Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens Holidays at SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta Christmas in Callanwolde Snow Mountain at Stone Mountain Park "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" at the Center for Puppetry Arts Magical Nights of Lights: Margaritaville at Lanier Islands Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker Lights of Life from Life University Holiday in the Park at Six Flags over Georgia

Families won’t have to miss out on an Atlanta holiday tradition at the Atlanta Botanical Garden this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. But they will have to get used to some changes.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights reopened Nov. 14 and organizers are encouraging guests to purchase tickets as soon as possible to secure their preferred date. The event runs through Jan. 16, 2021.

“Tickets are extremely limited for this reduced-capacity event,” the website stated. “Garden Lights tickets are not included in the complimentary daytime admission benefit to members. Guest passes are not accepted for this special event. All guests and members must have timed tickets.”

Ticket options for non-members begin at $24.95 for adults and $21.95 for children 12 and under. They don’t include the $5 per order processing fee. Children under 3 get free admission.

The exhibition features lighted sculptures from the Garden’s Alice’s Wonderland Reimagined. This year, the White Rabbit and Phoenix will join the Red Queen in a set of over-the-top festive sculptures. New music and activity will be back in the form of the largest choreographed curtain of light and sound in the world, Nature’s Wonders. Plus, the popular Ice Goddess returns with a new set of colors running through her hair.

Reduced capacity and mandatory masks for all guests ages 10 and older are among the safety precautions the Garden is taking. Masks must be worn indoors at all times and outdoors when guests are within six feet of others. Staff and volunteers will wear masks constantly and hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the property. One-way traffic will be implemented and attendees must follow guidelines of always maintaining six feet of distance.

Additionally, the 2020-2021 season will not offer Night Light tickets, Block tickets or Group Tours and tickets are only available online; they will not be sold at the gate.

Atlanta Botanical Garden opened in 1976 and has become known for its famous plant collections and spectacular exhibitions. Its mission is "to develop and maintain plant collections for the purposes of display, education, conservation, research and enjoyment.”

Described on the website as an “urban oasis in the heart of Midtown,” the conservation park has 30 acres of outdoor gardens, the unique Canopy Walk, photo-ready Skyline Garden and an award-winning children’s garden.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights

Nov. 14 - Jan. 16, 2021, Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta

Non-member prices begin at $24.95 for adults and $21.95 for children 12 and under; see the website for member tickets