Waterfront Botanical Gardens’ Gardens Aglimmer Brings Light to the Season
Wild purple geraniums wave gracefully in the wind, and a nearby stand of common milkweed provides nourishment to several monarch caterpillars. The delicate stalks of pink dianthus line a path that winds into and around a bend. It is certainly wonderful to stroll through Waterfront Botanical Gardens in June.
Except it’s not June. It’s November, and the skies are cold and gray. There are no blooms and no leaves — every tree is a brittle skeleton. Still, as any gardener knows, while winter may be a quieter season, there is plenty that needs to be done to prepare for the next growing period. Everyone at Waterfront Botanical Gardens knows this adage and is committed to keeping the spirit of the gardens alive even when everything in the ground is dormant.
Although the seeds of Waterfront Botanical Gardens were planted over two decades ago, it only opened to the public in 2019, meaning it is still in the early stages of its development. When compared to the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., which opened in 1850, Louisville’s botanical garden has a lot more growing to do. And it is this goal of healthy, steady growth that makes it important for Waterfront Botanical Gardens to stay relevant even during the bleakest midwinter. It does so in various ways, such as offering classes and planning special events like Gardens Aglimmer, which begins on Black Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, and continues throughout December on select days.
“With the weather turning cooler and there being less visual interest in the gardens, it was important to still have an opportunity to bring the city out to see this brand-new botanical garden. If you look at other public gardens across the country, you’ll find that most of them offer some variety of holiday light experience as a way to continue engaging with the public,” says Megan Bibelhauser, Waterfront Botanical Gardens’ director of marketing and communications.
Winter activities and events are also a way for Waterfront Botanical Gardens to have additional revenue streams to help support operations, which, Megan says, “includes everything from compost and mulch for the garden beds, to the gloves and shovels used by the horticulture team, as well as funding the staff who manage and maintain all that we have built.”
She says Gardens Aglimmer is the 501(c)(3)’s largest revenue-generating event of the year. Like the gardens themselves, this fun winter event has grown each year since its inception.
Megan says the first Gardens Aglimmer involved a few thousand lights and a handful of in-house displays, but over the years the plans for the wintry wonderland have become more detailed and comprehensive.
“Our goal every year is to expand not only the number of lights, but the types of displays and experiences, she says. “In 2023, for example, we wanted to highlight the fact that the gardens are built on top of a former landfill, so staff and volunteers worked together to create an upcycled display including ornaments made out of aluminum cans and spent plant materials, and twinkling lanterns from old cardboard boxes. This was an opportunity to show a unique way to turn trash into something beautiful.”
In the coming years, Gardens Aglimmer will grow even more because the master plan for Waterfront Botanical Gardens has several additional phases. Phases 1A-C have been completed, which means Gardens Aglimmer now covers about 2.5 acres. Phase 2A is set to begin and will feature a bonsai garden and house, as well as an allée of white oak trees leading to an overlook of Beargrass Creek.
Megan says this phase will add another 1.5 acres to the display.
Eventually, the plan calls for a visitors center, numerous gardens — including a children’s garden and a sensory garden — and, at some point, a conservatory in Phase 4. The complete plan for Waterfront Botanical Gardens spans 23 acres, an effort that could take a decade or more. “As we add to the gardens’ physical space, Gardens Aglimmer will also grow to cover the entire footprint,” Megan says, which means even more opportunities for staff to work their creative lighting and design magic.
That creative magic is wonderful for attendees to experience, but it takes a lot of time, energy, and likely some periodic aggravation — as anyone who has ever dealt with holiday lights will understand. Megan says ideas for each year’s Gardens Aglimmer begin at least 12 months in advance, while planning requires a minimum of six months. She adds that “it takes the entire month of November to decorate outdoors,” an effort spearheaded by Andrew Hagerty, the director of horticulture and facilities, and implemented by his teams.
Of course, volunteers are part of the process every step of the way and are essential to the massive effort required to put on the event.
Gardens Aglimmer offers something for all ages. Little ones can visit with Santa, make a holiday craft with Mrs. Claus, and enjoy hot chocolate in the Jingle All the Way Café provided by Khalil’s Catering food truck. Adults can get their hot chocolate or apple cider spiked if they choose, and this year, there will be a savory menu in addition to sweet treats. Megan says the café is being relocated inside the event “so that food and beverage options are more accessible to guests.”
Another new feature will be a bar inside the Graeser Family Education Center, which she says will have a limited selection of beer, wine, and holiday cocktails.
Beyond the food and beverage options, guests can admire wreaths designed and decorated by local businesses, which will be auctioned off, with all proceeds supporting Waterfront Botanical Gardens.
While Gardens Aglimmer is its own special event, there are themed nights that might appeal to different visitors. For example, on Friday, Dec. 5, students from Thrive School of Dance will perform. Monday, Dec. 15, will be a crowd-controlled sensory-friendly evening, and Wednesday, Dec. 17, is reserved for adults 21+ for a special “Date Night.”
“One of our core values is accessibility, emphasizing that all are welcome and wanted, so we set out to provide additional experiences that different members of our community could enjoy to the fullest,” Megan says.
Gardens Aglimmer pathways are wheelchair-accessible as well.
To kick off your winter holidays with a sense of wonder — and to help ensure that your spring and summer visits to Waterfront Botanical Gardens will be chock-full of vibrant flowers and plants — consider making Gardens Aglimmer a new holiday tradition. For more information, visit waterfrontgardens.org/gardens-aglimmer.
