Still shining bright: River of Lights celebrates 27th season with new additions

River of Lights continues to illuminate with 700 light displays, a 30-foot tall Brachiosaurus and 200 miles of twinkle lights shining throughout the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden.

Those are just some of the key components that make the event, which is celebrating its 27th season, an annual holiday experience that draws more than 130,000 people.

Still shining bright: River of Lights celebrates 27th season with new additions

This year, visitors can expect to see the Japanese Garden — a culturally-themed light show — for the first time.

“Instead of our usual lighted sculptures, it’s going to be very Japanese, cultural based lighted bamboo sculptures, solar lights, that’ll just be very traditional to what they do in Japan during the holiday season,” said Chelsea Martinez, event manager with the New Mexico BioPark Society. “We worked hand-in-hand with our horticulture team to be culturally appropriate in Japanese Garden.”

River of Lights will also debut new “low sensory” nights, dedicated to people who want to enjoy the River of Lights in a sensory-friendly way.

Guests will experience the holiday event with reduced or no strobing effects, flashing lights or movement. Music will be lowered and guests are encouraged to bring preventative tools like noise-canceling headphones and tinted glasses. Ticket sales will be reduced to allow guests the ability to enjoy the low sensory night with a smaller crowd, reducing the risk of overstimulation. Visitors will also have access to a quiet room filled with resources to manage sensory overloads.

“We’re going to reduce the max attendance to 1,600 for the evening, and we’ve partnered with (the University of New Mexico) and our education team to provide a low sensory experience,” Martinez said.

The River of Lights will also introduce flex tickets — flexible tickets that allow guests to reschedule their visit as needed.

“If unforeseen circumstances come up, a kid’s recital performance, family comes in unexpectedly, or somebody gets stuck at work, this gives our patrons an option to reschedule their timed entry to another date and time if they need to without having to repurchase tickets,” Martinez said.

To create a winter celebration like River of Lights, the work begins months prior. A full-time team of three people — a sculptor, welder and a secondary sculptor and lights operator meet in March to plan out the event, spending roughly eight months organizing and working out lighting logistics.

A seasonal team of 12 join in September and begin decorating the garden, working for 12 weeks to complete the decor.

Another new inclusion in the River of Lights is an experience designed just for adults: the Elf Workshop. For three separate nights, adults can participate in paint nights where they have the option to paint pots, nutcrackers or create holiday evergreens.

“We love having kids and having the Santa’s Magical Experience and having him be a big part of the event, but we also want adults to be kids again and enjoy a magical time,” Martinez said. “You can gather with friends and or family without the kiddos and come get your craft on and walk through the light trail as well.”