Boothbay’s Breathtaking Gardens Aglow Will Be Drive-Thru In 2021
For the last six years, The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay have hosted a cool Holiday light display called Gardens Aglow. The event uses more than half a million bulb to illuminate the gardens - in 2019, designers of the event used about 650,000 bulbs. It truly is a magical experience!
If you made a trip to the event in 2019, or before, you know that at peak times the paths around the light displays get CROWDED. Additionally, there are often indoor displays. The building with the model railroad setup really sticks out in my mind. As we continue to deal with the pandemic, it is clear that mingled with people in large crowds is not a good idea.
Because of this, for the second year in a row, the Gardens Aglow event will be a drive-thru event.
This year's Gardens Aglow, the 7th annual, is scheduled to run from November 20th through January 1st (of 2022). With the exception of opening day and the closing days, the attraction will be open Thursday through Sunday.
Tickets will be sold per vehicle, not per person. Tickets will be $40 for non-members and $30 for members. Tickets will need to be purchased in advance and they will be for a specific date and time. In order to keep traffic flowing smoothly, they intend to release the cars in blocks of 50 every fifteen minutes.
Because of the tight roads / paths people will be driving, only passenger vehicles will be allowed. No vans, mini-buses, Hummers, or tractor-trailers. Also, due to the rules of the State of Maine, people will not be allowed to see the lights from the back of a pickup truck bed.
And, keep in mind that the event is rain, snow, (moon)shine.
Get all the details from the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens website.
There are some really big benefits to doing the event this way. Of course, it forces people to social distance. But, it also means you get to sit in your nice warm car (instead of walking around in the frigid winter temperatures). It also gives you a chance to listen to your own music while you enjoy the lights.