Light Trail (c) The Interested Bystander
For the second year in a row, the New York Botanical Garden is opening its doors to Jack Skellington and the other spooky inhabitants of Halloweentown for the Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail. The nighttime event is a separate ticket from the garden as it starts after the garden closes. Timed entries run from 7 pm to 9:15, and the whole trail lasts 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how long you linger with each artistic installation of sculpture, light and music (the movie soundtrack by Danny Elfman plays throughout). The trail runs from Wednesday to Sunday until November 30.
Light Trail (c) Avery Brunkus
I was invited to enjoy the larger-than-life event, which is being presented by Adventurelive, and we guests were greeted by its founder Jeffrey Seller, a producer of such Broadway shows as Rent and Hamilton who recently published his memoir, Theater Kid. You can feel how his theatrical background informs the trail as each stop feels as vibrant and dramatic as the stop-motion animation of the film. This family-friendly experience, says Seller, is here “because we need joy in our lives…in the most beautiful botanical garden in the country.” Seller thinks this year’s version, which is on a different trail than last year’s iteration, has been improved with more surprises. From “the moment you get through the gate, hopefully you’re already having a good time.”
And I must admit, the trail is indeed magical, not just because something so vast is here within the New York City limits, but because for an hour, you and your family and/or friends will be transformed by the spell with a child-like wonder the minute people walk through the enormous pumpkin and the tunnel of lights.
Visitors from the city can get to the garden by subway or you can take advantage of a discounted City Pass on MetroNorth for $7 (peak)/$5 (off-peak) each way.
Below are some of the pictures I took throughout the trail that recreates iconic images from the 1991 classic Disney film. The movie envisions each holiday inhabiting its own portal, but when Jack Skellington, the disillusioned head of Halloweentown, accidently finds Christmastown, his imagination is reinvigorated to inject some Christmas spirit into the spooky and strange world he knows. On the trail you will encounter Jack, his secret lovelorn admirer Sally, the mayor, the now iconic and spooky dice-rolling Oogie Boogie, Jack’s three mischievous helpers—Lock, Stock and Barrel—and many more characters from the movie.
More info can be found here.
Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail, which is also being presented in Austin, TX, is a fun, family experience that even a moody, goth teen can enjoy.
All photos below taken by The Interested Bystander
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