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New York Botanical Garden’s Train Show and Christmas Lights Return this Year

New York Botanical Garden’s Train Show and Christmas Lights Return this Year

NYBG's Holiday Train Show will once again be open to the public, and the botanical garden's holiday lights will return this year.


The New York Botanical Garden will once again transform into a winter wonderland this year with the return of two popular holiday experiences: The Holiday Train Show and NYBG GLOW.

New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show

A favorite holiday tradition among tourists and New Yorkers alike, the botanical garden's train show will be back for the 30th year inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. After offering limited ticketing to members, patrons, and community partners last year (in order to comply with pandemic safety guidelines), the event will be open in its full holiday glory for the public to enjoy in 2021.

Visitors will see model trains zip through a display of more than 175 New York landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and Rockefeller Center. Each miniature landmark will be re-created from natural materials that are signatures of the season, including birch bark, lotus pods, pinecones, acorns, and cinnamon sticks. Check out some of the displays in this video from 2019:

New this year is a re-creation of the garden's LuEsther T. Mert Library Building, a designated New York City Landmark. The new addition will be part of the show's New York Botanical Garden showcase, which features several of the garden's own buildings.

The Holiday Train Show will run Nov. 20, 2021-Jan. 23, 2022.

NYBG GLOW: The Botanical Garden’s Christmas Lights

NYBG GLOW, which launched last year as a spacious outdoor experience appropriate for social distancing, will return this year even bigger than before.

Similar to last year's event, the botanical garden’s light show will offer multiple nights of brilliant color and thousands of dazzling lights outdoors. There will be a newly expanded 1½-mile colorful experience with more displays for visitors to wander through after dark. Visitors will see the garden's iconic sights and buildings transformed into glowing canvases, with the Haupt Conservatory and Mertz Library Building as the centerpieces.



Additional activities during the botanical garden’s Christmas lights show include live music, dance and food to round out the evenings.

NYBG GLOW will take place on the following 25 dates:

  • Wednesday, Nov. 24
  • Friday, Nov. 26
  • Saturday, Nov. 27
  • Thursday, Dec. 2
  • Friday, Dec. 3
  • Saturday, Dec. 4
  • Thursday, Dec. 9
  • Saturday, Dec. 11
  • Thursday, Dec. 16
  • Friday, Dec. 17
  • Saturday, Dec. 18
  • Thursday, Dec. 23
  • Sunday, Dec. 26
  • Monday, Dec. 27
  • Tuesday, Dec. 28
  • Wednesday, Dec. 29
  • Thursday, Dec. 30
  • Saturday, Jan. 1
  • Thursday, Jan. 6
  • Friday, Jan. 7
  • Saturday, Jan. 8
  • Friday, Jan. 14
  • Saturday, Jan. 15
  • Friday, Jan. 21
  • Saturday, Jan. 22

Details About Visiting the New York Botanical Garden’s Light Show and Train Show 

When do tickets go on sale?

Patron and member pre-sale begins Sept. 28, and public tickets go on sale beginning Oct. 5 for both events. 

How much are NYBG GLOW and train show tickets?

Stay tuned: Prices will be announced soon.

Where is the New York Botanical Garden located?

The New York Botanical Garden is located at 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx.

For more information, visit nybg.org, call 718-817-8700, or follow the New York Botanical Garden on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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Barbara Russo

Author: Barbara Russo is a freelance writer who holds a bachelor's degree in communications from the City University of New York. She enjoys playing guitar, following current events, and hanging out with her pet rabbits. See More

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