Quad City Botanical Center is presenting ninth annual Winter Lights Powered by MidAmerican Energy Foundation, opening Friday, Nov. 21 at 2525 4^th Ave., Rock Island.

Step into a dazzling scene of over 315,000 glowing lights adorning over five acres of garden grounds.

Explore the Crawford Company Tropical Sun Garden, Children’s Garden, the glistening pond, lawns, and pocket gardens of our light exhibit as you experience our largest fundraiser of the year. New additions include the Culture Bright Neon Forest, an immersive neon installation, newly themed areas of the garden, more lighted nature motifs, and outdoor fire tables with s’mores stations.

Visit the new indoor cocoa room for hot drinks, cocoa and treats for purchase. Enjoy the new indoor decor as you warm up inside. Kids can enjoy making scratcher art and winter coloring sheets.

Botanical Center members and FunBundle members will enjoy free admission Wednesday nights during the exhibit. Memberships can be purchased on qcgardens.com.

EXHIBIT DATES AND TIMES

• 21 – Dec. 14, Wed. to Sun., 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• 17 – Dec. 31, Daily*, 5 to 9 p.m.
• Last Entry 8:30 p.m.

*HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

Open New Year’s Eve, closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas.

EXHIBIT ADMISSION

• $11 Adults, $7 Youth 2-15, Free Under 2
• Botanical Center members and FunBundle members receive $2 off admission. Both member types also enjoy free admission Wednesday nights throughout the exhibit duration. Members must show membership card upon entry.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• Opening Night: Exhibit Lighting

Nov. 21, 6 p.m. lighting, exhibit to 9 p.m.

Cost: Exhibit Admission

Be amongst the first to experience this year’s light display. Guests will gather around the pond for the first lighting of the season after a short introduction of our presenting sponsors, MidAmerican Energy Foundation. Advanced ticket purchase highly recommended.

MEMBERS FREE ADMISSION NIGHTS

• Wednesdays, Nov. 21-Dec. 31, 5-9 p.m.

Cost: Free for Botanical Center Members and FunBundle Members

Members must show membership card upon entry. Advanced tickets not required.

LIGHTS & LEASHES

• Sundays, Nov. 21-Dec. 31, 5-9 p.m.

Cost: Exhibit Admission

Experience the decorated gardens with your furry friends by your side. Bring your pups for a nighttime stroll every Sunday night. To ensure safety for all visitors and pets, all dogs must be on a leash and under control at all times.

IMPACTLIFE BLOOD DRIVE

• 23, 3-6 p.m.

You have the power to help. By giving blood you’ll provide a lifesaving resource used by patients in the Quad Cities. Donate blood at the donor bus in our parking lot on November 23 to receive four free tickets to the light exhibit plus a pair of light glasses. Schedule and appointment at bloodcenter.org or call 800-747-5401. Hosted in collaboration with Visit Quad Cities.

LIGHTS & FLIGHTS

• Thursdays, Dec. 4 and 18

Cost: $35 per person, $21 non-drinking

Experience the light display and sample beer and pizza from three local businesses, featuring Bent River Brewing Company, Wake Brewing, and Huckleberry’s Pizza. Bent River and Wake Brewing will be serving up sample flights of their locally brewed beer, and Huckleberry’s will dish out an artisanal pizza sampler. Each ticket includes one beer flight from each brewery, one flight of food, admission to the display, and access to the Lights & Flights room. Enjoy a vinyl dj set by Just Let Go.

Must be 21+ to enter the Lights & Flights room. Must show valid ID. Advanced ticket purchase highly recommended. The non-drinking ticket includes a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage, Huckleberry’s flight, admission to the light display and access to the Lights & Flights room.

KRAMPUS NIGHTS

• 5 and 6, 6-8 p.m.

Cost: Exhibit Admission

Meet the infamous Krampus and take your own photos. Visit with the German American Heritage Center & Museum to make Krampus masks and learn the folklore of Krampus. Krampus will be stationed in a designated area and will not be roaming the gardens.

SANTA AND THE MRS. VISIT

• 12 and 13, 5-8 p.m.

Cost: Exhibit Admission

Visit Santa and Mrs. Claus and take your own photos. Advanced ticket purchase highly recommended. Early time slots may sell out.

Tickets are available at qcgardens.com.

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Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner -- who has called the Quad Cities home since 1995 -- has decades of experience as a professional journalist and pianist. His experience writing for daily newspapers, public radio and local TV encompasses a wide range of subjects, including the arts, politics, education, economic development, historic preservation, business, and tourism.

Jonathan most loves writing about music and the arts (which he now does as a freelancer for the River Cities Reader and Visit Quad Cities). He has a passion for accompanying musicals, singers, choirs and instrumentalists, including playing for QC Music Guild's 2023 productions of RENT and SWEENEY TODD. He is assistant music director and accompanist for the spring 2025 Music Guild show, ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. He wrote an original musical based on The Book of Job, which premiered at Playcrafters in 2010. Jonathan penned a 175-page history book about downtown Davenport, that was published by The History Press in 2016, and a travel guide about the QC published by Reedy Press in 2022.