Illumination

Join us this holiday season as The Morton Arboretum is transformed into an interactive wonderland of color and light during its first-ever winter lights event, Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum. From November 22 to January 4, Illumination offers a holiday experience far beyond traditional twinkle lights, engaging your senses with dazzling projections, trees that respond to your touch and voice, and vivid, electric colors throughout.

Combining cutting-edge technology with the beautiful, wooded landscapes of the Arboretum, Illumination is not your typical holiday light show. The first experience of its kind in the Chicago area, Illumination invites visitors to see trees in a different light, along a mile-long, paved trail around the Arboretum's Meadow Lake and down the Conifer Walk.

As you walk, you'll be captivated by surprising and immersive light experiences along the way

• Hug a tree to make it grow brighter.

• Play with colors and watch as trees light up at your command with a swipe of your arm.

• Watch as cutting-edge projection turns towering evergreens turn into moving landscapes that trick the eyes.

• Warm up next to fire pits while enjoying hot cocoa, s'mores, and other treats.

• Visit the Enchanted Railroad and stop in to browse the holiday wares at The Arboretum Store.

Built in partnership with top lighting designers Lightswitch, Illumination features energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly LED lighting. LED lights provide beautiful, powerful color while consuming only half the power of traditional incandescent lighting.

Illumination will be open from 4:30 to 9 p.m. (last entry 8:30 p.m.) daily from November 22 through January 4. The event will be closed on three Mondays, December 2, 9, and 16, as well as on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Event tickets go on sale October 1. For Arboretum members, prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children 2 to 17 years old, free for children under 2. Nonmember ticket prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children 2 to 17 years old, free for children under 2. 630-725-2066 or www.mortonarb.org

Illumination is presented in part by ComEd and BMO Harris Bank.