‘Holiday Lights in Bloom’ at the Orange County Arboretum starts Nov. 24

The Orange County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation recently announced the 15th annual “Holiday Lights in Bloom” program, beginning November 24 at the Arboretum at Thomas Bull Memorial Park.

“The Lights in Bloom exhibit has become a tradition in Orange County and we are excited to have it back this year,” Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said in a press release. “I look forward to family and friends enjoying the display together at the Arboretum during the holiday season.”

It may be chilly out but the Arboretum will be in “full bloom” with garden-themed light displays in the forms of flowers, animals, and insects. Children, and adults alike, will be charmed as they stroll through the various themed gardens created in lights. The “Holiday Lights in Bloom” walk-through display will be free and open to the public from 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from November 24 through December 30. The program will be closed on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Due to construction on the Ottaway Education Center, the Friends of the Arboretum will hold their Holiday Boutique in the greenhouses in conjunction with the light show from November 24 through December 17. For more information, go to orangecountyarboretum.org. No buses or groups larger than 15 are permitted at “Holiday Lights in Bloom.” Pets are not permitted. The organizers suggest visitors arrive by 7:30 p.m. to allow for enough time to park and enjoy the lights, as they are turned off promptly at 8 p.m.

The Arboretum is located within Thomas Bull Memorial Park at 41 Grove Street in Hamptonburgh. For more information, call 845-615-3828 or visit orangecountygov.com and click “Parks and Rec.”