WPS Garden of Lights: 20+ Years of Lighting Up the Green Bay Botanical Garden

Christmas Lights in Green Bay
Photo Courtesy of Green Bay Botanical Gardens & Amenson Studio

While the flowers hibernate, this intimate walk through the Garden gives you the chance to create extra special memories with your friends and family that you’ll cherish for years to come. After seeing the outdoor sights like our enchanted icicle forest, our veggie tails garden patch or our fan-favorite 60-foot walk-through caterpillar, head on inside the Fischer Visitor Center to warm up with some hot cocoa and other snacks. Additional activities inside include our natural holiday trees, letters to Santa, a trip to the WPS Trellis Gift Shop, and more!

Special Features of WPS Garden of Lights

  • Butterflies in Motion
  • Icicle Forest
  • Glistening Flowers
  • The area’s tallest and brightest tree
  • 60-foot walkthrough caterpillar
  • Photos with Santa & Letters to Santa
  • Model train exhibit from the G-Gagers Train Club
  • Campfire to warm up around
  • Holiday gifts to be found in the WPS Trellis Gift Shop
  • Natural Christmas tree featuring decorations made by volunteers and staff from plant materials that are grown and collected from the Garden.

Will Santa be at the Garden of Lights?

  • Photos with Santa: Photos are available with Santa on select dates before Christmas. Prices TBA. Check the website before coming for updates on availability.
    • Fridays & Saturdays: 4:30 – 9 pm
    • Sundays: 4:30 – 8 pm
    • Thursday, December 22: 4:30 – 8 pm
  • Letters to Santa: Every night before Christmas from 4:30 – 9 pm.
    • Bring your letters to Santa to place in his North Pole Mailbox.
  • Story Time with Mrs. Claus: Join Mrs. Claus for story time in the Cellcom Lounge (lower level of the Fischer Visitor Center), and make sure you grab a peppermint candy from her elves too!
    • Saturdays Before Christmas and Family Night: 5 – 8 pm

Things to know before you go!

WPS Garden of Lights glows on Thursday through Sunday starting Friday, November 25, 2022, and continuing through December 30, 2022.

The display is open Monday through Friday of the week following Christmas. It is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.

You have 30 minutes to arrive after your selected entry time. Entry times are every 30 minutes beginning at 4:30 pm with the last entry at 8:30 pm. Doors close at 9 pm.

Family Night: Sunday, November 28, 2022

Children 12 and under get free walking admission with one paid adult walking reservation. All reservations, adult and children, will need to be made in advance due to limited capacity.

Children will also receive a free holiday craft kit and can drop off their letters to Santa. Discount cannot be combined with any other discounts. Wagon rides are not available with Family Night special pricing due to limited capacity.

How much is admission?

Tickets must be purchased before online and recommended to purchase early for best availability. All tickets are for a specific time and date. Prices range from $5-$13 for children ages 3 – 12, and $12 – $20 for adults. An additional service fee of $3 – $5 may apply. Children 2 and under are FREE.

Ticket Options

  • Walking Tour Value Nights – Lowest ticket price option for a self paced, walking tour through the garden.
  • Peak Nights – Self paced, walking tour through the garden. Generally high traffic nights on the weekends.
  • Wagon Rides – The horse-drawn wagon tour begins on the lower mulched portion of the light displays. It is recommended to by 8 pm to allow enough time to experience the upper paved portion of the light displays which is walking. The horse-drawn wagon fits up to 20 passengers. Tickets for the horse-drawn wagon rides are first come, first served based on your entrance time. Last wagon ride entry time is 7 pm, and the last ride leaves at 7:30 pm.

How long should we plan to be at WPS Garden of Lights?

Spend as much time as your family would like, but typically the walking tour takes about 30-45 minutes and it covers just under a mile of walking paths. The wagon tours are from 5 – 7:30 pm (arrive 7 pm) and last about 10-15 minutes. Plan to arrive at least an hour before closing to have enough time to enjoy the experience.

When is the best time to visit?

The number of visitors increases on warmer winter nights and on Saturday evenings. Visitation tends to peak between 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Visitation is lighter on opening weekend, Thursday evenings, early Friday evenings and Sunday evenings (Green Bay Packers afternoon and evening games).

Other Useful Information

  • Pet Policy
    • Service animals are welcome, but please leave pets and Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) at home.
  • Weather Policy
    • WPS Garden of Lights closes for extreme inclement weather. Notices will be posted to their website, Facebook page, and local news and radio stations. The Garden is open if it is simply snowing.
  • Parking 
    • Parking is free and available on-site on a first-come, first-served basis. Overflow parking is within walking distance so guests do not have to ride shuttle buses in close contact with others.
    • Accessible parking is available inside the Garden’s main parking lot. You must show your disabled parking identification permit to event volunteers to enter the lot.
  • No carry-ins of food or beverages are allowed.
    • A variety of food and beverages are available in the Winterberry Café and Concessions Building including: hot dogs, nachos, cookies, popcorn, candy bars, trail mix, chips, gummi bears, hot chocolate, apple cider, coffee, tea, water, soda, beer, wine and shots such as Peppermint Schnapps or Baileys to compliment a hot beverage. Please bring ID for the purchase of alcoholic beverages.
  • Accessibility
    • The paths in the upper Gardens are paved, shoveled and salted and should be accessible to wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and pull-along wagons. The lower mulched path is difficult to navigate and not recommended for wheelchairs and walkers. Horse-drawn wagon rides are typically available on a first-come, first-served basis. Golf cart rides from the building to the horse-drawn wagons are available for those unable to walk down the mulch where the wagons begin. There are three large steps up into the horse-drawn wagon. Please bring someone to assist you in getting onto the horse-drawn wagon. There are no motorized scooters or wheelchairs available at the Garden. Families walking with small children should bring a large wheeled stroller or pull along wagon.
    • Suggestions for those with limited mobility.
      • Prearrange a date with the Garden so parking volunteers and staff can help accommodate your group by calling (920) 490-9457.
      • Purchase your tickets in advance at the Garden or online.
      • Choose a Thursday when WPS Garden of Lights experiences less foot traffic.
      • There are some steps, inclines, mulch, snow, salt, and puddles.
  • Photography Tips
    • Turn off the flash!
    • Shoot at twilight for better exposures
    • Steady your camera to avoid blurry photos
    • Visit earlier in the evening or on Thursday nights to avoid crowds
    • Dress warmly and wear gloves

For more information visit gbbg.org.

READ MORE: Winter Fun: Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides in Wisconsin for 2022-2023

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