SHIMMERING SOLSTICE at Old Westbury Gardens, presented by Catholic Health, returns for its second year opening on Friday, November 25, 2022. Back by popular demand, this holiday themed light show offers visitors the opportunity to behold a series of magical light displays as they walk along the beautiful meandering paths through Old Westbury Gardens’ Walled Garden, Rose Garden, South Lawn, and Allée.
“This walkthrough lightshow is uniquely designed specifically for Old Westbury Gardens, a beautiful Long Island landmark” said Nancy Costopulos, President and CEO of Old Westbury Gardens. “It offers a one-of-a-kind experience which is now becoming a new holiday tradition.”
This year, even more beautiful visuals have been added including a re-designed interactive area featuring three new exhibits that will engage adults and children alike; seasonal music throughout the expanded illuminated event path, a new illuminated water feature on the West Pond, and the Garden of Appreciation will be turned into a lively warming area with a concession stand for seasonal snacks and drinks.
SHIMMERING SOLSTICE is a completely custom-built show by Lightswitch, a collective of internationally recognized lighting, media, and visual designers that has been uniquely designed to highlight the features of Old Westbury Gardens. The goal was to turn the gardens into a visitor location that can be enjoyed during the fall and winter holiday season and that would remain consistent with the mission of Old Westbury Gardens.
“Shimmering Solstice was designed to be a celebration of our space,” said Maura Brush, Director of Horticulture at Old Westbury Gardens. “The features that define Old Westbury Gardens such as the formal allées, ponds, and statuary are all illuminated so visitors can view them in a completely different light.”
This walk-through show is a family friendly experience people of all ages can enjoy and is designed for visitors to explore at their own pace. For the exciting finale, visitors will once again be dazzled to see the south facade of Westbury House come alive with magical lights and seasonal sounds—this year with an exciting twist!
Tickets are on sale now. The show runs on select dates from November 25, 2022 and runs through January 1, 2023. The admission time starts at 5:30 p.m. Check website for available dates and times.
For more information, visit the SHIMMERING SOLSTICE website: https://shimmeringsolstice.com/
About Old Westbury Gardens:
Built in 1906 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Old Westbury Gardens is the former home of John S. Phipps, his wife, Margarita Grace Phipps, and their children. Today, as a not-for-profit organization, Old Westbury Gardens welcomes visitors of all ages for a wide range of historical, cultural, artistic, educational, horticultural events. Old Westbury Gardens seeks to inspire appreciation of the early 20th century American country estate through faithful preservation and interpretation of its landscape, gardens, architecture and collections. For more information, visit https://www.oldwestburygardens.org/
