Tucson, AZ: LightsUp! A Festival of Illumination is back at Tucson Botanical Gardens from November 28 through January 11, Tuesdays – Sundays. Trees dance under a million lights, tin stars twinkle, luminarias glow. Bring the family together for Southern Arizona’s favorite holiday tradition.
For more information and to purchase tickets go to
Over a million LED lights are wrapped around trees and custom-built, oversized props including light tunnels, cypress-inspired spindle trees, punched-tin stars, a photo-opp crescent moon, and a forest of silver trees. Luminarias line pathways and hang from giant luminaria chandeliers and archways.
What’s New in 2025: You will know you’ve arrived at the Gardens’ new entrance when you spot the oversized, five-foot vine wreaths decorated with holiday lights and festive ornaments. A Butterfly Tree will transform the Pavilion into a magical woodland grotto. The Great Garden Express has a new collection of railroad buildings that are festooned with teeny tiny lights and wreaths made by the Sonoran Desert Model Builders. Not to be missed: enjoy the new Frida’s Garden by the light of traditional luminarias!
Need to Know: A gentle stroll along the mile-long path will take 45 – 60 minutes. The LightsUp! soundtrack is choreographed with the lights in some zones. Edna's Eatery by Charly's Grill will be serving a special grab-and-go menu, and Peddler on the Path will make a welcome return with hot beverages on Thursdays - Sundays. LightsUp! tickets are timed, and dynamically priced.
About Tucson Botanical Gardens - Located on the site of the historic Porter family property in the heart of Tucson, Arizona, Tucson Botanical Gardens (TBG) is a lush oasis set on nearly six acres. It has been ranked #4 in the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards three years in a row. More than 7,000 plant species are displayed in over twenty curated garden spaces including a world-class collection of cacti, grasses, flowers, and mature trees. Gardens include Frida’s Garden (opens October 11), Cacti & Succulents of the World, Nuestro Jardín (a traditional Mexican-American neighborhood garden), Children’s Discovery Garden, and many more that showcase the diversity of plants that can thrive in the Sonoran Desert. The Great Garden Express is a G scale model railway set in an Arizona, Sky Island inspired landscape, and TBG is home to the only tropical butterfly pavilion in Southern Arizona, open October - May. TBG offers rotating art displays, community classes, events, and international exhibits. Edna’s Eatery by Charly’s Grill serves a seasonal menu. Event services are available for groups, weddings, and social gatherings. TBG is located at 2150 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712. Learn more and purchase tickets at TucsonBotanical.org.
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