The Quad City Botanical Garden is already setting up for Christmas with its annual Christmas light show, bringing another year of festivities to the QC area.From Nov. 18 to Jan. 1, the QC Botanical Garden showcases over 200,000 lights strung throughout the outdoor garden, only costing visitors $10 to see the sights.
Started in 2016, the Botanical Center has been increasing the quality of its light show every year with this year featuring more lights than ever before.
In addition to the lighting showcase, there are events and festivities to be found inside the main building. “Some of the events that we do are arts and crafts events for children along with serving hot cocoa and other treats,” stated Kennedy Blaesius, head of horticulture at the QC Gardens. “We also have a day where Santa will come out and even a German Heritage day where Krampus will come and we educate children about German Christmas and Folklore.”
While official dates for the event have not been shared yet, news regarding the time of the events can be found on the QC Gardens’ website at the beginning of November.
The effort to string hundreds of thousands of lights throughout the garden is no easy task, and Amelia Seutter, Volunteer & Guest Services Coordinator at the QC Botanical Garden, is familiar with this challenge and shares, “All of our lights are hung up by volunteers alone; we do not hire an outside company to hang lights for us. Light hanging has always been a favorite among Quad City Botanical Center volunteers.”
The light installation takes over two months to complete. This provides opportunities for PVHS students to fulfill their service learning requirement, as hundreds of volunteers are needed to pull off the setup. Individuals who volunteer also receive free admission to the light show.
Students from other schools in the area also volunteer for this event, creating opportunities for them to connect with one another. “While the light show is a beloved event amongst those who live in the Quad Cities, the show also attracts thousands from beyond the Quad Cities and brings dozens of volunteers together to connect with their community,” added Seutter.
The QC Garden light show is a staple of seasonal festivities in the Quad Cities; even though Christmas is still months away, some are already starting to feel the holiday spirit in the air.
