Morton Arboretum's 'Illumination' Takes Drive-Thru Format

LISLE, IL — The new coronavirus won't stop the Morton Arboretum from holding its annual Illumination: Tree Lights winter holiday show, but this year's show will be a little different. The arboretum announced Tuesday that Illumination will be held in a drive-thru format for 2020.

The exhibit, which opens Nov. 20 and runs through Jan. 3, will feature a synchronized soundtrack that residents can tune into via their car radios. Whereas previous version's of Illumination have featured a mile-long walking path, the drive-thru path will feature two miles of lights.

The path begins when you drive through a tunnel of lights, then leads you through illuminated woodlands.

“The safety of Illumination guests during this pandemic was the top priority in our decision to transform it into a driving experience this year,” Alicia LaVire, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Morton Arboretum said in a news release. LaVire added, “It also gave us an opportunity to create an innovative new twist on this tree-focused exhibition that can’t be seen anywhere else.”

This year, Illumination will also be open later. The light show will run until 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Early bird tickets for Illumination go on sale for Morton Arboretum members from Oct. 1 through Oct. 7. General public ticket sales start Oct. 8. No tickets will be sold onsite, but you can click the link to purchase a timed ticket ahead of your visit to Illumination: Tree Lights.