magic christmas in lights bellingrath gardens and home december 14

Magic Christmas in Lights Fast Facts

Dates and times: November 26, 2021, to January 5, 2022, open nightly (closed December 25 and January 1)
The Tour: Magic Christmas in Lights is a walking tour of the Gardens and takes about an hour to complete
Wheelchairs and wagons: Available for a $6 rental fee on a first-come, first-served basis
Group Rates: Available for groups of 20 adults or more; details below
Parking: Free
Food and beverages: Hot cocoa and snacks available for purchase on Live Oak Plaza; hot evening meals available in the Magnolia Cafe nightly from 4 to 8 p.m.; beer and wine available for purchase in the Magnolia Café nightly from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Live Oak Plaza on Friday and Saturday nights
Guided tours of the Bellingrath Home: Open evenings from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday with tours every 30 minutes; guests may also tour the Home during the day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with tours on the hour

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Details about Magic Christmas in Lights

Bellingrath Gardens and Home is celebrating the 26th year of Magic Christmas in Lights in 2021! In this Gulf Coast holiday tradition, guests stroll through a dazzling light display that features more than 1,100 set pieces, 3 million lights and 16 scenes throughout the 65-acre Garden estate. In addition, the Bellingrath Home is decorated in its holiday finery and enhanced with beautiful poinsettias.

Magic Christmas in Lights is a made-in-Alabama production. Each year, the set pieces for the holiday lights are designed, welded, painted and lamped by members of Bellingrath's staff. Three of our employees work full-time all year on the light display.

Magic Christmas in Lights has received numerous honors over the years. The show is a 2020 Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Festival & Event winner. The display was also ranked on USA Today's 2020 and 2018 lists of "10 Best Botanical Garden Holiday Light Displays," which was compiled with readers' online votes, and selected to the American Bus Association's "Top 100 Events of 2016."

Magic Christmas in Lights is a family-friendly event for all ages. It's guaranteed to get everyone into the holiday spirit!

Hours

Bellingrath Gardens and Home is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The last tickets to Magic Christmas in Lights are sold at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and the last tickets are sold at 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Bellingrath Home is open for tours from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The last Home tour tickets are sold at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tours of the Bellingrath Home are every hour and half hour; the final tour begins at 8 p.m.

Tours of the Bellingrath Home

Visit the historic Bellingrath Museum Home and see it in its holiday finery! The 15-room Home features its original furnishings and is lavishly decorated for the Christmas season. Guided tours allow a glimpse into the lives of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath and the way that they celebrated the holidays so long ago. Home Tour tickets may be purchased in the Admissions Building or as part of your online ticket package. The Bellingrath Home is open for tours on every half hour from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The last Home tour tickets are sold at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Food and Shopping

Snacks and hot chocolate are available for purchase on Live Oak Plaza at the midway point of the walking tour. Beer and wine are available for purchase in the Magnolia Café nightly from 4 to 8 p.m. and also in the drink tent on Live Oak Plaza. In addition, the Magnolia Café is open nightly from 4 to 8 p.m., serving hot evening meals.

Browse through the unique merchandise in the popular Bellingrath Gift Shop, open nightly until 9 p.m.

Group Rates

Magic Christmas in Lights is the perfect place to have a festive gathering! The Gardens are large enough to accommodate all types of groups, including employees, community organizations and extended families. To learn about group rates, please call 251-459-8986 or email bellingrath@bellingrath.org.

Please note that tickets are nonrefundable.