Gardens Aglow 2022

About Gardens Aglow

Bring the whole family to walk Gardens Aglow, a botanical-themed light festival in the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden located in the Springfield Botanical Gardens.

More than 175,000 festive lights accent the unique structures and landscaping of the Stroll Garden and capture the winter beauty of nature. Light features include RGB lights, firecracker lights, framed installations, up lighting and string lights.

New framed installations for 2022 were made possible by Heavy Metal Christmas, Kodiak Trailers, Parks Operations Construction Repair and Bill Fullerton. Framed installations were made possible by Iris Society of the Ozarks, Ozark Daylily Society, Ozarks Regional Lily Society, Springfield Area Herb Society, Rosalie O’Reilly Wooten and Hogan Land Title with support from Heavy Metal Christmas.

Cozy up to a fire pit and purchase snacks and hot beverages from our vendors:

• A.M. Donuts and Coffee
• SnoNut
• Lae’s Authentic Egg Rolls
• Whatzpoppin

Sponsors

Supporters

View event information on Friends of the Garden’s website

Admission

Purchase at the Gate
Adults (ages 13 and older): $7
Children (ages 3-12): $3
Babies and Toddlers (ages 0-2): Free
Pets are welcome; standard park rules apply.

Cash or card accepted. Proceeds benefit the maintenance and enhancement of the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden and Friends of the Garden which supports the Springfield Botanical Gardens.

Purchase in Advance
Adults (ages 13 and older): $5
Children (ages 3-12): $2
Babies and Toddlers (ages 0-2): Free
Processing fees apply.

GET TICKETS

Season Passes

Purchase a membership with Springfield Sister Cities Association or Friends of the Garden and receive free entry all season long! Members also get to skip the line and use the fast-pass lane.

Memberships make great holiday gifts and they come with a variety of other benefits. Perfect for your loved one who has it all or just wants more quality time with the people they love!

Sister Cities memberships (i.e. Gardens Aglow season passes) start at just $10!

JOIN SISTER CITES JOIN FRIENDS OF THE GARDEN

Gardens Aglow Location

Gardens Aglow takes place in the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden located within the Springfield Botanical Gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park, 2400 S. Scenic Ave., Springfield, Mo.

After passing through the gates of the Springfield Botanical Gardens, take the first left (north). Follow the road until it ends at the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden parking lot or until you are directed to a parking spot by Park Board staff.

VIEW PDF OF MAP

Gardens Aglow Accessibility

We recommend planning to spend at least 30 minutes strolling Gardens Aglow, though you are welcome to spend more or less time. The Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden is 7.5 acres with a 0.51 mile winding pathway that loops through the garden. Main pathways are lit, paved and dotted with benches.

Paved Pathways

Thanks to the generosity of Conco Companies and the proceeds from the 2019 Gardens Aglow and Japanese Fall Festival, all main pathways have been replaced with level stamped concrete suitable for wheel chairs and strollers.

Wheel Chairs

A limited number of complimentary wheel chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

One motorized wheel chair is available to rent for $15 for a maximum of two hours. Please contact the Botanical Center at 417-891-1515 to reserve the motorized wheel chair. The Botanical Center is open Mondays-Saturdays from 8am-5pm and Sundays from 11am-5pm.

Accessible Parking

A number of accessible parking spots are available near the entrance to the Stroll Garden. Please inform parking attendants if you need a paved parking spot or need to park close to the entrance. Typically, a disabled license plate or visible disabled placard will be enough to inform them.

Gardens Aglow Date Nights and Engagements

Gardens Aglow is an unforgettable setting for a date night or proposal. Let our experienced staff help you set up the perfect evening!

Basic Package: $75

• blanket
• bottle of sparkling juice
• drinkware
• paper or plastic plates
• napkins
• plastic cutlery
• fruit, cheese and cracker tray
• chocolates

Add-Ons

The above package is fully customizable! Our staff is happy to help you achieve your vision. Here are a few of our most requested add-ons:

• fresh florals with vase: $25
• bistro set: $40

Reservations

Please allow at least 48 hours advance notice for your reservation. Contact Angela at 417-891-1515 x2 or akeith@springfieldmo.gov to book!

Volunteer at Gardens Aglow

Many volunteers are needed to safely bring this unique event to the Springfield community! Volunteers receive free entry to the event, a free hot beverage and water and light snacks.

The majority of volunteer opportunities are outdoors, but all volunteer areas will have heaters. Volunteers are also welcome to take breaks to warm up in the heated pavilion.

Volunteers assist with guest hospitality and sales in shifts of 3.5 to 4 hours long. All volunteers receive brief training when they arrive for their shifts. You are welcome to sign up for as many shifts as you’d like!

In the case of event cancellation due to inclement weather, volunteers will be notified via e-mail.

VOLUNTEER

Call for Performers at Gardens Aglow

We are looking for talented performers to help us bring holiday cheer to Gardens Aglow! If you are interested in performing for our guests, we invite you to submit an application for consideration. Performers do not receive compensation and are not permitted to display merchandise.

APPLY TO PERFORM

Sponsors

Sponsorship Opportunities

Help bring a unique spectacle to the Springfield community as Gardens Aglow transforms the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden into a botanical winter wonderland.

Presenting Level – $10,000 (1 available)

• Name/logo on website for six months
• Name/logo on postcard and e-newsletter
• Name/logo on all promotional materials including print and social media
• Name/logo on sign near lighted frame during event
• 200 tickets to event

Platinum Level – $5,000

• Name/logo on website for six months
• Name/logo on postcard and e-newsletter
• Name/logo on all promotional materials including print and social media
• Name/logo on sign near lighted frame during event
• 100 tickets to event

Gold Level – $2,500

• Name/logo on website for three months
• Name/logo on postcard and e-newsletter
• Name/logo on all promotional materials including print and social media
• Name/logo on sign near lighted frame during event
• 50 tickets to event

Silver Level – $1,500

• Name/logo on website for two months
• Name/logo on postcard and e-newsletter
• Name/logo on all promotional materials including print and social media
• Name/logo on sign near lighted frame during event
• 25 tickets to event

Bronze Level – $1,000

• Name/logo on website for the month of the event
• Name/logo on sign near lighted frame during event
• 10 tickets to event

For more information, please contact Friends of the Garden Executive Director Heather Parker at 417-874-2952 or hparker@springfieldmo.gov.

Gardens Aglow Reviews

“…We took our nieces there last night and was very impressed. The lighting was beautiful, clean and super enjoyable. We will be back at other times of the year. A very nice evening!! Good work!! Thank you ”

“My daughter and I went , it was beautiful.”

“Was well worth the trip to see the lights. Really enjoyed it”

“I loved the hot chocolate”

“We went to this, and the lights are just beautiful! … I was there twice recently. Once for the Gardens Aglow and the other for the train display. I have a 4 year old niece who was very impressed by both!”

“We came out tonight and this is AWESOME! So enjoyed the experience. Thank you for putting on a WONDERFUL display”

“Our hot chocolate was amazing!!!”

“This was a lot of fun!!”

“It’s absolutely beautiful!”

“Beautiful garden to take photos.”

“It was beautiful….”

“Very pretty!!”

“they have a little donut cart in there, they have thee best donuts! My kids said it was their best night when we went”

“Just beautiful”

“Really enjoyed our time here tonight! It was absolutely beautiful. To the lovely couple who asked me to take a photo of them, that then turned into a video of their proposal.. congratulations again! It was such a sweet moment. Love this time of year. ”

“We had a great fun evening beautiful lights perfect weather”

“Beautiful display of lights. Great job. Thank you!!”

“My granddaughter loved it!”

“Beautiful!”

“We went last night and so enjoyed all the beautiful lights”

“We had a great time! One of my favorite spots.”

“What a lovely time we had tonight! We sure hope this is an annual event and that it grows every year! What a treasure to have in Springfield!”

“Brought our kids and grandkids last weekend. Went to see several light displays in Springfield and yours was our favorite!”

“My daughter and I had a fantastic time last weekend. It was simply beautiful and so peaceful”

“Beautiful lights! Had a wonderful time.”

“We went yesterday and it is unbelievable. If you can go you should… We can’t wait til spring so we can come back and see the flowers in bloom”

“It is absolutely beautiful”

“We truly enjoyed walking through the garden with all of the lights! SO BEAUTIFUL!”

“So beautiful!”

“It was beautiful last night . And the cocoa is cheaper than Starbucks !!”

“Went last night with family. So beautiful and the lights reflecting off of the water were amazing. Loved the Christmas music too!”

“We went last night and it was awesome! Thank you for such an affordable, family-friendly night ??”

“We LOVED this last year. In our “musts” again this year.”

“Amazing”

“My husband and I had a wonderful time! Looking forward to next year.”

“We went tonight and it is so pretty. Wonderful time!… it was beautiful. Going again when my momma comes in for Christmas..;)”