Sure, Dazzling Nights will include hundreds of thousands of illuminants and cool themed areas. But there’ll also be live music, dancing and breathtaking stunts—basically, whatever it takes to effect what founder Cole NeSmith calls “an edgy, high-energy take on entertainment for the holidays.” | Courtesy Harry P. Leu Gardens
In its seventh year, Dazzling Nights is branding itself as more than just a bunch of pretty lights. Sure, the annual event at Harry P. Leu Gardens will, as usual, boast hundreds of thousands of twinkling Illuminants arranged into all manner of captivating (and occasionally interactive) configurations.
But there’ll also be live music, dancing and breathtaking stunts—basically, whatever it takes to effect what founder Cole NeSmith calls “an edgy, high-energy take on entertainment for the holidays.” The event is set to run from November 20 to January 3, 2027.
Additions this year will include “The Driftlands,” a dedicated Nordic-themed domain (with a steampunk vibe) where a group of acrobats called the Sliders will perform hair-raising leaps and jumps while dressed in metal kneepads and metal-toed shoes.
Another feature of The Driftlands will be an interactive game that plays out on 10-by-30-foot mountain walls: Guests can put their agility and eye-hand coordination to the test to get light to travel across the surfaces video-game style.
In “Polar Nights” there’ll be 90 large Christmas trees that will light up in choreographed concert. And in “Chilly Celebration” there’ll be a mural of light that’s 74 feet wide and 25 feet tall.
Elsewhere, two newly formed vocal groups will perform throughout each evening in front of a 50-foot snowman who’ll loom over the garden’s verdant grounds. Kids will get to run an inflatable obstacle course crafted to resemble a mountain range—an environment devised around a Yeti-type character that was introduced last year.
Ready to dance? Just look for the reflective disco balls and feel free to cut a rug (or, in this case, a lawn). At some point, though, you’ll want to relax and stroll through the 60-foot-long tunnel of poinsettias. Refreshments will be available for both youth and adults.
“I think that as guests experience Dazzling Nights this year, they’ll really experience the work of how our team has continued to develop new capabilities, and are bringing those things to the show,” says NeSmith.
Dazzling Nights is produced by The Memoir Agency, a for-profit experiential design and event firm founded by NeSmith that creates large-scale immersive activations for corporate and municipal clients. NeSmith also founded The Creative City Project, a nonprofit that co-produces Dazzling Nights and whose flagship event, the sprawling street festival dubbed IMMERSE, will return to Downtown Orlando in February.
Walkthroughs of Dazzling Nights will begin every 15 minutes between 5:30 and 9 p.m. during the run of the event. Tickets are sold online only and must be purchased in advance. Guests are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes before their chosen entry time for on-site parking—which is all valet this year—and at least 45 minutes early for off-site parking.
Harry P. Leu Gardens is located at 1920 North Forest Avenue, Orlando. For more information, call or visit the website.
