norfolkbg

The Dominion Energy Garden of Lights

November 6 to January 3

Your Holiday Tradition Just Got BRIGHTER! For more than 30 years, this award-winning holiday tradition is one you don’t want to miss!

Ticket Pricing and Availability

Tickets are per person | Reserve online (limited nightly capacity) | Walk-up tickets incur an additional $5 fee per ticket, all nights.

Nov. 8 - Jan. 4	Members	Not-Yet Members
Value Nights	$18/Adult	$24/Adult
	$12/Child	$22/Military
		$15/Child (ages 3-12)
Popular Nights	$24/Adult	$30/Adult
	$15/Child	$18/Child (ages 3-12)

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Join Our Garden Family for Ticket Discounts!

Members: You must have a member account with an updated password to buy tickets online to receive your member benefits.
Register your online account here.

Norfolk City tax not included in the below pricing. A 3% surcharge applies to all credit card transactions.

Not a Garden member? Join now to receive discounts on your tickets.

Join Now

Anytime Tickets

Dominion Energy Garden of Lights Anytime Gift Tickets are valid any evening through 01/04/26, including ones that are sold out. Guests age 3+ must have a ticket.

Tickets are non-refundable. Tickets can be scanned directly from your smartphone or from a paper copy printed at home.

Purchase Anytime Tickets

Mobility Shuttle

Enjoy every sparkle of the holiday lights! Running nightly, our Mobility Shuttle provides a comfortable, festive way for guests with limited mobility and their group to experience our holiday light show without having to walk the route. Sit back, relax, and let us bring the holiday magic to you!

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Member's Only Weekend

Behind every twinkling light is a whole lot of love. Our incredible team starts bringing this wonderland to life in late July, carefully setting the stage and keeping the magic shining all season long. And because you’re part of our Garden family, we’re saving some extra sparkle just for YOU!

Barks and Bulbs

Get your sparkle on with your favorite canine! We are one of the only holiday light walks in Coastal Virginia where your furry best friend is welcome too. Barks & Bulbs was so pupular, we added another night! Join us Wednesday and Sunday evenings for a festive stroll through the holiday lights with your four-legged friend. Sponsored by TowneBank

Food Vendors

Warm up along the way with freshly brewed coffee, decadent hot chocolate, sweet treats, crispy churros, and more festive favorites. It’s the perfect way to savor the season and add a little extra warmth to your Garden of Lights experience.

Returning this year by popular demand: Bear House Coffee Roasters, Spicy Latina, Classic Kettle Corn of Chesapeake, and Ben & Jerry’s.

Sip, savor, and let the sparkle begin!

All that holiday magic is even better with something delicious in hand!

Your magical evening starts the moment you arrive! The Reeds Bistro is popping up for the holidays with a special satellite location just for the holidays. After your tickets are scanned, stop by for a festive beverage and choose from holiday-inspired mocktails, and delicious treats before you step into the lights.

Meet the Elves - Tuesday Evenings

Our two merry elves are taking Tuesday night off from their busy Santa-helping duties! From 6-8PM They’ll be roaming the Garden, spreading holiday cheer, greeting guests, and posing for festive photos. Come meet the elves and add a little extra sparkle to your holiday evening!

Share the Magic with Large Groups

Looking to bring your large group to our Dominion Energy Garden of Lights? Our holiday light show is an exciting experience for clients, corporate teams, and large groups. We offer group rates for groups of 100 or more.

For more information click to email our Visitor Services Team at VS_Supervisors@nbgs.org or call us at 757-441-5830 ext. 0.

Take a Little Sparkle Home

Start your evening at our Gift Shop! Get your glow on with light-up hats, fun holiday gear, festive gifts, ornaments, and one-of-a-kind treasures. Then head out and make some memories beneath the lights!

Open until 8:15PM on Value Nights and 9:15PM on Popular Nights!

Giving Back

The holidays are about coming together, and we’re proud to celebrate the people and communities who make Coastal Virginia special.

And every visit means more than a magical night out. This holiday light show is Norfolk Botanical Garden’s largest annual fundraiser, helping support the Garden’s mission and its work for our community.

In the Giving Spirit

Norfolk Botanical Garden is hosting another food drive to benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore! Bring your items with you when entering Baker Hall Visitor Center and drop them off before beginning your walk through 1.5 million twinkling lights. Boxes will be set up right near the ticket scanning tables for convenience. Visiting the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights multiple times? We are accepting donations from November 6, 2026, all the way through January 3, 2027.

Please see the attached shopping list for recommendations, as more than just food is accepted!

Come Cozy & Festive

Bring your best holiday PJs on Nov 12 and favorite festive sweaters on Nov 19 and join us for a little extra holiday fun! You’re welcome to dress in your favorite holiday gear any night, but on select nights, we’ll be celebrating together as a group—so come cozy, come festive, and let’s light up the night in style!

THANK YOU for supporting NBG as a non-profit this year and in years past.

The Dominion Energy Garden of Lights is the largest fundraising event of the year supporting the Garden’s mission and providing a resource for our community. In 2022, the community voted this show #5 Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights in the Country through the USA Today/10Best contest.

Dominion Energy

THANK YOU to Dominion Energy for sponsoring the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights – Walk the Garden Aglow. Their commitment to illuminating our beautiful garden during the holiday season has allowed families and visitors to experience the joy and wonder of the holiday season, making it a truly unforgettable experience.

Community Sponsor

We love our community, and our Community Sponsor, Dollar Tree, does too! This year, we’re offering more Value Nights than ever, making it easier to gather your family and friends and enjoy the magic of Garden of Lights together. Together we are extending the spirt of giving through our annual food drive supporting the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the families they serve.

Honoring Our Military

We’re honored to offer a special military discount during Value Nights. As a community with deep military roots, we’re grateful for the service and sacrifice of the men and women who serve our country—and thankful for our Military Sponsor, T-Fiber, who shares that commitment to our military community.

Barks & Bulbs

Barks & Bulbs is Back! Plus, we have added an additional night because Sunday evenings just weren’t enough – they were so pupular! Now you have Wednesday evenings & Sunday evenings to enjoy the lights with your furry best friend.

Media Partner

We extend our sincere gratitude to WVEC, our dedicated Media Partner, for their continued support of Norfolk Botanical Garden and the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights. Your partnership plays a crucial role in amplifying the Garden’s mission and bringing the magic of the the lights to a broader audience. Thank you for helping us shine brighter year after year.

Planning Your Visit

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is this a walking-only or a drive-through event? How long is the route?

This is a walking-only event. Driving through the lights is not permitted. The event route is a one-mile loop, and although it is walking-only, it is accessible for strollers, wagons, wheelchairs, and mobility assistance devices. Keep in mind that some of our pathways are permeable, packed gravel. These paths can be a little tricky to navigate with wheelchairs, strollers, or wagons. Some portions of the permeable pathway are on a slight incline/decline, including the road from the back of Baker Hall to the Rose Garden, the road from Rose Garden Bridge to NATO Bridge, and the road from Wildflower Meadow to Rose Garden Bridge.

Families with double strollers should be prepared to fold their strollers in order to enter and exit the doors of Baker Hall, where we scan your e-tickets.

Do you offer anything for guests who can't walk through the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights?

The Mobility Shuttle runs once every evening for guests with limited mobility and their group, offering a scenic ride through our Dominion Energy Garden of Lights. Arrival time to Norfolk Botanical Garden for our Mobility Shuttle is 4:45PM, with boarding at 5:00PM and a prompt 5:15PM departure.

Please click this link to reserve tickets.

A limited quantity of electric wheelchairs are available to rent on a first-come, first-served basis from Baker Hall. We hold on to a photo ID while you have the wheelchair checked out, and checking out a wheelchair requires a $35 rental fee for non-members and a $30 rental fee for members, as well as signing a liability waiver.

A limited number of manual wheelchairs are available at Baker Hall on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 5:30PM. Manual wheelchairs are free to use, but we require a photo ID to rent one.

What are the days and hours of operation of Dominion Energy Garden of Lights?

Dominion Energy Garden of Lights will run Friday, November 6th 2026, through Sunday, January 3rd 2027. We are open every evening, including holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

Did you know that the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights is an award-winning light show?

NBG has been lighting up your holidays for over 30 years!

The Dominion Energy Garden of Lights has won the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award for Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights for multiple years!

Forbes.com names Dominion Energy Garden of Lights one of the best holiday light shows in the Country!

Named “One of the 12 Magical Christmas Destinations You Need to Add to Your Holiday Bucket List” by Simplemost.com

Anything I should know about parking?

Parking is free, but limited, so please consider carpooling. Our team works hard to park guests as soon as spots become available. If there are traffic/parking delays, we will honor a ticket that is slightly earlier or later than your scheduled arrival time. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

When you turn off Azalea Garden Rd., the Tollbooth arm will be up, and our parking crew will direct you to the nearest available space. Once your party is ready, head inside Baker Hall to explore our Gift Shop, stop by our restrooms, and have your tickets scanned at the back of Baker Hall.

Tickets

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I purchase tickets?

Tickets must be purchased online. You do not have to print out your e-ticket! Tickets can be scanned directly from your smartphone! *Please make sure you have the original ticket pulled up; we are unable to scan screenshots.

Tickets are limited. Purchasing online RESERVES your date and time. If available, walk-up tickets incur an additional $5 fee per ticket.

Is there a limit to how many tickets I can purchase as a Garden member?

Members may purchase as many tickets as they like; however, the number of discounted tickets varies by membership.

Individual members receive a discount on 1 ticket.

Garden Family, Garden Family & Friends, Garden Family & Friends+, and Garden Patron Level members receive a discount on up to 6 tickets.

Do you have discounts?

For the biggest discount, we recommend becoming a member and purchasing a ticket online for a Value Night. We offer Military discounts online on Value Nights. We offer in-person discounts on Value Nights for Dominion Energy and City of Norfolk employees. We offer in-person discounts every night for Museums for All and Norfolk PowerUp!. Please show your SNAP, EBT, WIC, or Medicaid card with a valid ID. Guest passes and AHS reciprocal benefits are not accepted for this special event. There are no group discounts.

What if I can’t use my ticket?

The Dominion Energy Garden of Lights is a rain-or-shine event. Tickets are non-refundable. Cancellations will be announced on the Garden’s website as well as Facebook in the case of severe weather. Please contact Guest Services at VS_Supervisors@nbgs.org or 757-441-5830 48 hours in advance to reschedule your tickets.

Is my ticket purchase helping the Garden? Is NBG a non-profit organization?

Yes! Norfolk Botanical Garden is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Dominion Energy Garden of Lights is our largest fundraising event of the year.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Your ticket purchases help us as a non-profit fulfill our mission:

IMMERSE VISITORS IN A WORLD OF BEAUTY. LEAD THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION. INSPIRE THROUGH EDUCATION AND CONNECTION TO NATURE.

During Your Visit

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I need a map?

No maps needed here! Wander through our lights without wondering if you missed a section of our dazzling display! With one-way foot traffic, you’ll stroll along an illuminated path that highlights the Garden’s natural beauty. The route is a loop, so as it winds down, you’ll end up where you parked, no backtracking necessary.

Is food available for purchase?

As you stroll through the dazzling displays at the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights, we’ve got your holiday cravings covered! Along the way, you’ll find festive food trucks serving up sweet treats and cozy sips to keep you in the holiday spirit. Huge thanks to REED’s Bistro, Bear House Coffee Roasters, Spicy Latina, Ben & Jerry’s, and Classic Kettle Corn of Chesapeake for bringing the season’s flavors to life! So grab a snack, warm up with a drink, and let the magic of the lights (and goodies!) fill your night with cheer!

Outside food and beverages are not permitted. Tailgating in our parking lot or on the route for Garden of Lights is prohibited.

Will the Garden Gift Shop be open during the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights?

Yes! Our Gift Shop, located in the Baker Hall Visitor Center, will be open until 8:15PM on Value Nights and 9:15PM on Popular Nights.

Can I take photos? What about selfie sticks?

Yes, we encourage you to take photos – use the hashtag #NBGLights2026. Visitors may also use monopods or selfie sticks with care.

May I bring a pet to the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights? What about on Wednesday/Sunday Dog Days?

Dogs are allowed to visit the lights on Wednesdays and Sundays. ADA service animals are always welcome.

Am I allowed to smoke during the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights?

The Garden is a nicotine-free environment.

Can I walk into the Garden from the main road to see the Dominion Energy Garden of Lights?

For our guests’ safety, we do not allow guests to walk into the Garden from the main entrance road.

Are there restrooms available?

There are 3 sets of restrooms available for guests. One is indoors in Baker Hall near the Gift Shop before you get your ticket scanned, and the other is indoors about halfway through the walk at our Butterfly House. Portable Restrooms will be located just after the NATO Tower Waterfall and available for guests’ use.

Can I walk through multiple times?

No, each ticket allows guests to enjoy one magical walk through the holiday light show.

Can I tailgate in the parking lot?

Outside food and beverages are not permitted. Tailgating in our parking lot or on the route for Garden of Lights is prohibited. No, for our guests’ safety, we do not allow tailgating in our parking lot.