✨'Homes & Habitats' is this year's Dominion Energy Gardenfest of Lights theme

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — The theme of this year's Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights, which is illuminating Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden nightly beginning Monday, Nov. 18, is "Homes & Habitats: A Celebration of Connection."

USA Today ranked the display no. 1 in its 10 Best botanical gardens with holiday lights contest and it’s easy to see why.

"It is a festival of lights where people can come and explore the garden at night and enjoy the beautiful twinkling of the lights," Michelle Israel, the botanical garden's director of exhibitions, said.

And the event is more than just the dazzling glow. You’ll find botanical decorations, model trains, festive dining, cozy warming fires and plenty of hot chocolate to keep you feeling merry and bright.

This year's theme, "Homes & Habitats," lets visitors explore different habitats throughout the garden and see new attractions.

"We will have interactive features," Israel said. "In the Rose Garden, there will be sound reactive, light activation. We will also have another interactive feature in the children's garden, where kids or adults can step on the lights and light them up."

And on selected nights, it’s Gardenfest for pups and live performances.

"Another thing that will be different this year is that our conservatory tree will be in front of the conservatory instead of inside," Israel said. "Because, as many of you know, we're going through an expansion, so we had to do some changes. But that means that the tree will be outside for a lot of people to enjoy."

Once completed, the two-year project will have several new attractions including a year-round butterfly wing.

Dominion Energy Gardenfest of Lights opens Monday, Nov. 18 and runs through Sunday, Jan. 5. The display is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Advance tickets are required and can be purchase online only.

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PHOTOS: Dominion Energy Gardenfest of Lights

From twinkling lights at Lewis Ginter to the eighth annual Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival, a celebration of Indigenous American stories, which is packed with cultural events Nov. 22 – 24.

A total of 30 films will be screened with 6 Virginia premieres, highlighting the rich contributions of Native Americans. This year’s films include “Bring Them Home,” a powerful story of survival, adventure and resilience.

You can catch screenings, and performances at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. And mark your calendars for the Native American Family Day PowWow on Nov. 23 at the VMFA, and the Tsenacommacah Eastern Indian Marketplace on November 23 & 24 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.

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