Astra Lumina Lights Up The Queens Botanical Garden For The Holidays
Take a trip to the stars!
Astra Lumina: An Enchanted Night Walk Amongst the Stars has hit New York City after a successful run in Los Angeles. Just in time for the holidays, the Queens Botanical Garden has been transformed into an outdoor, multi-media experience that brings you in the celestial world of the stars. Kristen Maldonado of Pop Culture Planet attended the VIP press preview event .
Co-produced by Moment Factory and Fever, Astra Lumina takes you through an illuminated nature pathway with different viewing zones. With nine expansive thematic areas across the 39-acre botanical gardens, it’s about a 45-60 minute walk through the experience that is perfect for all ages.
The night we visited was one of the chilliest nights in New York yet, so we made sure to take advantage of hand warmers as we walked through the other-worldly exhibition. Stargazers kick off the tour at the Astra Archway which feels like a spiraling rabbit hole into this star-studded universe. It leads you toward the Starlight Lanterns, which features star-related quotes that reflect all around you. A highlight is The Falling Stars installment, which is reminiscent of space crafts, giving off an alien energy. Next is the Cosmic Choir with glowing balls of light floating in the air around you. The Celestial Trail is another stand out as a garden of lights welcomes you. There are plenty of photo opps here as well, including a wooden bridge and a bench.
As you continue on your journey, you’ll come across Stellar Visions, a magical galaxy show within a moon sphere. Then there’s the Astral Genesis installation, which looks like a sparkily, colorful disco ball. While you explore the path of each exhibit you’ll see fallen stars visit us, regenerate, and rise back up to the sky. At the Rise of the Stars, you get to see the stars head back up in an almost orchestral conduction. The experience ends with Stardust Rays full of link laser beam lights.
This one mile enchanted light walk is a magical experience with friends, family, or even for a date night. They use projections, lighting, and music to infuse the garden with a celestial energy that will make you feel at one with the galaxy.
Astra Lumina is now open at the Queen Botanical Garden located at 42-80 Crommelin St., Queens, NY. Grab your ticket to the stars now in the experience running from 5:30 to 10:00 pm through January 1, 2024.
