Filled with colorful flowers and vibrant greenery, Rotary Botanical Gardens is a stunning sight year-round. However, there’s no denying it’s especially stunning during its annual Holiday Light Show when the gardens are set aglow by thousands of lights. It has some of the best Christmas lights in Wisconsin. Take a look:

Combining beautiful gardens and thousands of lights, the Holiday Light Show at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville is a true feast for the eyes.
Rotary Botanical Gardens/Facebook
With 750,000 twinkling lights, the show is like a seasonal escape into a winter wonderland.
Rotary Botanical Gardens/Facebook
Just as impressive as the display is the amount of time that goes into its set-up. It takes staff and volunteers about 6-8 weeks and more than 4,000 hours to create the display!
Rotary Botanical Gardens/Facebook
Drenched in lights, the trees and greenery sparkle like never before.
Rotary Botanical Gardens/Facebook
Absolutely enchanting and utterly unique, the Holiday Light Show is unparalleled in the region. And on select nights, fun activities and live entertainment are part of the festive display.
Rotary Botanical Gardens/Facebook
It’s a pretty popular event and on-site parking is limited. But don’t worry; there’s a free shuttle service, which picks visitors up from Dawson Field and drops them off at Rotary Botanical Gardens.
Rotary Botanical Gardens/Facebook

Watch the video below for a closer look at the glowing display.

The Holiday Light Show is held every December at the Rotary Botanical Gardens.

This isn’t the only seasonal celebration that belongs on your holiday bucket list. Experience what Christmas was like in the 1800s at the Old World Christmas Celebration in Eagle, Wisconsin. Do you have a favorite holiday event in Wisconsin? Let us know all about it in the comments.

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Wisconsin Is Pure Holiday Magic

William Suphan | October 17, 2022

What are the holiday traditions that make Wisconsin special?

Wisconsin has a vast mixture of traditions due to the various immigrant cultures that have settled here. A Scandinavian tradition is to eat herring to bring prosperity for the next year. German families will often hide a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree for their children to find. People from all over Wisconsin will head to Lake Michigan to take the Polar Bear Plunge, swimming in the icy waters as a holiday challenge.

What are the most festive Christmas towns in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is a perfect wintery Christmas state, and many towns will really celebrate in style. Madison has the Olbrich Holiday Concert Series dedicated to fine productions of Christmas songs. Madison's Olin Park has an amazing light display that families love to drive to. Chippewa Falls has a Christmas Village in Irvine Park with over 100,000 lights! Victorian-style Christmas scenes are a total holiday delight. For some fun with furry friends, Elkhart Lake has a Siberian Outpost where you can ride on dog sleds. You'll have a barking good time!

What are the best drive-through Christmas Light Displays in Wisconsin?

While walking through the Botanical Gardens is absolutely magical, sometimes you want to enjoy the light displays from the comfort of your car. Pewaukee's Country Christmas Trail is a massive drive-through light display that boasts over a million lights. The Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights in Caledonia covers 1.6 miles and has a 200-foot lighted tunnel to dazzle the senses. Rotary Lights in LaCrosse has been going on for over 25 years and has a 140-foot-tall Christmas tree and several animated scenes that the whole family is sure to enjoy.

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1455 Palmer Dr, Janesville, WI 53545, USA