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Ashley’s Holiday Countdown | Winterlights

Posted by: Ashley Miser
Posted: December 19, 2017
Categories: Uncategorized

Well, I’m back and excited for the second to last installment of the Holiday Countdown blog. We will get to the good stuff in a moment, but before we do I want share that the Winterlights at Newfields are truly magical and I highly recommend taking all of your holiday visitors when they come to town!

Now without further ado, it’s time to chat with Alfredo Paredes, Director of Digital Strategy & Online Revenue at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and learn more about Winterlights!

Ashley Miser: After walking through this wonderland of magic, I have to know, when did you start planning Winterlights?

Alfredo Paredes: We started planning two years ago. We wanted to be able to have a multi-sensorial program that would integrate art and nature. We did some benchmark studies and we decided to create Winterlights. Winterlights will continue some of the IMA’s most beloved holiday traditions. At its heart will be the historic Lilly House, filled with sparkling decorations and beautiful floral displays that continue the tradition started in 1971. Karl Unnasch’s whimsical 50-foot-tall tree of toys, Playtime in Indy, returns in a brand new location surrounded by giant Whimsy Trees, perfect for a family photo.

AM: Where did the idea come from and what was the inspiration behind such an incredible set up?

AP: We are so excited to welcome everyone to Winterlights,” said Jonathan Wright, The Ruth Lilly Deputy Director for Horticulture and Natural Resources. “After traveling the world to see the best of the best, we’ve reimagined and expanded our annual celebration of the season into a spectacular and glowing tribute to The Garden and, especially, our towering, historic trees. There’s never been anything like this in Indiana before.

The transformation of The Garden was designed by Tres Fromme of 3Fromme Design. Previously, Fromme was the designer for world-renowned Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and designed the holiday illuminations for Atlanta Botanical Garden and Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville, Tennessee. For Winterlights, Fromme was inspired by the ornate ironwork featured on Newfields’ historic Woodstock bridge gates. This scrollwork dates back to the early days of the Lilly estate and will be a reoccurring motif, incorporated into the fanciful Winter Winds entrance portal and floating, glowing snowflakes.

AM: With such an inspirational approach, approximately how many lights are you using to make this transformation stand out?

AP: We’ve used 1.2 million lights to create this year’s Winterlights.

AM: That’s quite a number, how much of the grounds are actually included in the light set up?

AP: Winterlights is placed in the upper 52 acres of our campus. The lights experience covers about 20 of those acres.

AM: That’s amazing, how long did it take to set up?

AP: It took us 2 months to set everything up and be ready for guests.

AM: Rumor is you have special food and beverage options – which I know to be true, yum! What can attendees partake in during the lights?

AP: While strolling through Winterlights, indulge in a warm cup of hot chocolate or apple cider—with spiked options available for adults—and a special Newfields beer from Taxman Brewing Company. Warm your hands by the fire and make your own s’more provided by local Girl Scouts, or continue your journey with treats to go.

AM: Finally, for our readers, what special offers or helpful hints can you share?

AP: The best days to come to Winterlights are Monday thru Thursday. The 5pm show is great because there’s plenty of parking and you can visit the store or the Cafe afterwards. Also, you can see Winterlights come to life as the sun goes down. It’s gorgeous! Get your tickets here.

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