‘Illumination’ at Morton Arboretum vies for top spot in national holiday lights contest
Just when you thought the election was over, organizers at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle are hoping supporters will take to the (online) polls one more time to help them score some national recognition.
The Arboretum’s “Illumination” holiday light exhibit has been nominated for a USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award for best botanical garden holiday lights.
Public voting is open now, and supporters can vote once daily through 10:59 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 30.
“We’re honored that Illumination has been recognized again by USA Today 10Best and grateful for the enthusiasm our guests bring to this annual tradition,” Amy Scott, the Arboretum’s head of exhibitions, said in a news release. “This year is our boldest Illumination yet, with 22 dazzling displays and four new large-scale installations, including Northern Lights, our most ambitious installation ever.”
It’s the sixth nomination for “Illumination,” which has been runner-up three times but has yet to take the top spot.
Arboretum officials urged supporters to vote early and vote often.
“We hope our guests and supporters will join us in celebrating this one-of-a-kind way to see trees and nature in winter by voting and sharing the word,” Scott said in the release.
“Illumination” returns for its 14th season Nov. 14 through Jan. 2, 2027, with 22 displays across 50 acres along a one-mile, ADA-accessible walking trail.
This season introduces four new large-scale installations, including Northern Lights, a one-year-only immersive display inspired by the aurora borealis. Spanning more than 400 feet overhead, Northern Lights features shifting colors and illuminated curtains that evoke the northern sky.
Other new displays include Lightwave, an immersive tunnel of moving and fixed chrome spheres; Cosmic Garden, a glowing hillside inspired by meditative sand gardens; and Fairy Forest, featuring glowing orbs and illuminated mushrooms.
Also new this year is the Pine Whistle Railroad model train experience, available as a separate ticketed add-on during Illumination. It features 1,000 feet of model track winding through an indoor fantasy woodland of fairy and gnome houses, large-scale mushrooms and illuminated elements in the Firefly Pavilion.
The event will also mark the last chance to see the four large, colorful animal sculptures from the arboretum’s “Vivid Creatures” exhibition as part of “Illumination.” That exhibit runs through March 2027.
Themed nights throughout the program’s run include “IllumiBrew,” a 21+ preview of “Illumination” on Nov. 13, featuring local beers and brews along the trail. Special dog admission nights will be held on three Wednesdays (Dec. 2, 9 and 16). A Sensory Night on Nov. 17 will offer a modified experience with static lights and music played at low volume.
rwest@dailyherald.com