The State Botanical Garden of Georgia lights up for its sixth season of Winter WonderLights tonight, Thursday, November 12, with its Season Premiere. The public opening follows a week later, on Thursday, November 19. For anyone in Five Points expecting guests for the holiday, the useful part of the calendar comes after that. Thanksgiving week alternates between lit and dark nights. The show is open Wednesday the 25th, Friday the 27th and Sunday the 29th. It is dark on Thanksgiving Day and on Saturday the 28th, when Georgia hosts Georgia Tech at Sanford Stadium. All three of those holiday-week nights are priced at the standard rate. The higher Peak Night prices don't start until December.
The garden is at 2450 S. Milledge Ave., and planning around the holiday-week schedule mostly comes down to picking the right evening.
The November 12 Premiere and the November 19 Opening
The Season Premiere runs tonight, November 12, from 6 to 9 p.m. It is a ticketed party, separate from the regular show. A $75 ticket covers VIP parking, entry to the show, two drink tickets, a s'mores kit and food from local restaurants, including Cafe Racer, Holy Crepe and Maepole. The garden describes premiere tickets as limited.
The regular show opens to the public on November 19 and runs on select evenings through December 30. Posted hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. In November, the garden is dark five nights between the opening and the end of the month.
The November Calendar, Night by Night
The garden's FAQ lists the regular November show nights as Nov. 19–22, 25, 27 and 29. Put those on a calendar and you get this:
| Date | Day | Show status | Ticket price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 19 | Thursday | Open, public opening | $15 |
| Nov. 20 | Friday | Open | $15 |
| Nov. 21 | Saturday | Open | $15 |
| Nov. 22 | Sunday | Open | $15 |
| Nov. 23 | Monday | Dark | — |
| Nov. 24 | Tuesday | Dark | — |
| Nov. 25 | Wednesday | Open | $15 |
| Nov. 26 | Thursday, Thanksgiving | Dark | — |
| Nov. 27 | Friday | Open | $15 |
| Nov. 28 | Saturday, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech | Dark | — |
| Nov. 29 | Sunday | Open | $15 |
| Nov. 30 | Monday | Dark | — |
Opening weekend runs four nights in a row. After that, the schedule thins out. Thanksgiving week has three open nights, each with a dark night on either side.
Prices follow the same split between November and December. Tickets are $15 per person plus taxes and vendor fees, rising to $18 on Peak Nights. Peak Nights fall only on Dec. 11–13, Dec. 20–23 and Dec. 26–30. Every November night costs $15. For a family of five, a November visit comes to $75 before fees, compared with $90 on the busiest December nights.
How Thanksgiving Week Works
Out-of-town guests often arrive midweek and leave Sunday, and the light show fits that window with one open night on each side of the holiday and one at the end.
Wednesday, Nov. 25. This is the only lit night before the holiday. It suits guests who arrive early, and it gets the outing done before the cooking starts.
Friday, Nov. 27. This is the only lit night between Thanksgiving dinner and the rivalry game. For a house full of relatives on the day after the holiday, it is the natural evening out.
Saturday, Nov. 28. The show is dark. Georgia hosts Georgia Tech at Sanford Stadium that day. As of this week, the official game center lists the kickoff time as TBA. Whatever the kickoff time, the garden won't be an option that evening.
Sunday, Nov. 29. This is the last November night and the last chance for guests who stay through the weekend. The show then goes dark Monday, Nov. 30, and doesn't reopen until December 3.
Picking one of these three nights before guests arrive matters more than usual, because tickets are sold only online, ahead of time, for specific entry windows.
Buying Tickets for a Group Whose Plans Might Change
Each timed entry has limited capacity, so the garden sells tickets only in advance through its online vendor. Entry windows start at 5:30 p.m. and repeat every 30 minutes, with last admission at 9 p.m. Guests who arrive after 9:30 p.m. are not admitted. The window only sets when you enter. After that, you walk at your own pace. The trail is about half a mile and takes about an hour. The garden suggests arriving 15 to 20 minutes before your entry time.
A few ticket details matter when you're buying for visiting relatives:
- Tickets are nonrefundable. They can be transferred only if you bought ticket flexibility.
- Flexibility costs $5 per ticket, or $6 on Peak Nights. It lets you move your tickets and parking to another night once, depending on availability.
- Children 3 and younger get in free.
- Friends of the garden members get 10 percent off.
The holiday-week schedule is what makes flexibility worth considering. If Friday's plans fall through, Saturday is dark, so the only remaining November option is Sunday. After that, the next open night is December 3.
Getting From Five Points to the Gate
Every parking option is on South Milledge. Free parking is at the UGA Turner Soccer Complex, 2330 S. Milledge Ave. A free shuttle runs from there to the garden, and the first one leaves at 5:25 p.m., five minutes before the first entry window.
Parking at the garden itself is limited and paid:
- VIP lot, $25 per vehicle. Parks you near the entrance.
- Premium Parking Garden, $10 per vehicle. Includes a shuttle to the entrance.
- Turner Soccer Complex, free. Shuttle service to the garden.
The half-mile trail is fully accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. Free accessible parking at the garden is also available, but you have to request it in advance by calling 706-614-1752 or emailing [email protected]. If an older relative will be with you, ask for that parking when you buy tickets rather than on the night.
What's on the Trail This Season
The garden's 2026 announcement promises more than 2 million lights, a Frosted Forest of 30 illuminated trees, a 50,000-light tunnel and new illuminated animal sculptures. Guests who walked the trail last year will mostly recognize the route. The Red & Black reported in its fall/winter 2026 visitors guide that the route has stayed largely the same over the years, with minor changes each season. That makes the animal sculptures the main new thing for returning visitors this year.
The Visitor Center becomes a holiday market during the show. Refreshments include s'mores, hot chocolate from Condor Chocolates, and coffee and other drinks from Trump's Catering. Food and drink sales are card-only, credit or debit. For guests who need a break from the lights and crowds, the garden lends KultureCity sensory bags for free and keeps a quiet area in the Visitor Center and Conservatory.
Once the Guests Head Home
When the holiday visitors leave, the garden's schedule picks up again. December brings the regular show back on Dec. 3, and Peak Night pricing starts on Dec. 11. The season continues past the new year with WonderLights Disco Nights on Jan. 7–9 and Jan. 15–16, 2027. For anyone hosting over Thanksgiving, though, November 25, 27 and 29 are the dates to book, all at $15 a ticket.
If you're planning a holiday week for family in Athens, or thinking about the spring market once the lights come down, Eric Vaughn is glad to share what he knows about Five Points, from South Milledge evenings to the streets around it. When you're ready to talk about your own home, start with a Free Home Valuation.
