Since 1978, nearly 2 million Garden visitors have made Las Noches de las Luminarias a part of their holiday tradition. What began as an idea from former Executive Director Rodney Engard, Garden staff and volunteers to create a Southwestern holiday event that also was a fundraiser for the Garden to support its budget and mission, has grown into a 21-night celebration with more than 8,000 candles and nearly 200,000 twinkle lights on the trails.
Discover some of the most memorable years of Las Noches de las Luminarias.
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1978 – FIRST-EVER LAS NOCHES DE LAS LUMINARIAS | 700 LUMINARIAS | 600 PEOPLE
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1986 – POPULARITY GROWS | TICKETS SOLD TO HELP WITH CROWD CONTROL
- 1987 – MEALS INTRODUCED | FEATURING THE HEARTY COWBOY MEAL
- 1989 – EXPANDS TO 3 NIGHTS | $40,000 RAISED
- 1998 – ENTERTAINMENT ADDED
- 1998 – EXPANDS TO 4 NIGHTS | LUMINARIA KITS SOLD
- 2004 – EXPANDS TO 22 NIGHTS | 132,000 CANDLES (LIT AND SNUFFED BY HAND)
- 2005 – LIGHTER CONTEST HELD FOR VOLUNTEERS
- 2009 – BOPPART COURTYARD TURNS INTO A WINTER WONDERLAND
- 2009 – GUESTS EXPLORE BRAND NEW BERLIN AGAVE YUCCA FOREST & BRONZE ALLAN HOUSER SCULPTURES
- 2010 – TRAVELER APPEARS AT LUMINARIA FOR THE FIRST TIME
- 2014 – LUMINARIA “LABYRINTH” BECOMES A FAN-FAVORITE
- 2015 – BRUCE MUNRO LIGHT EXHIBIT | 24 NIGHTS OF LUMINARIA
- 2017 – LIBERTY WILDLIFE MAKE THEIR “HOOT” OF A DEBUT
- 2017 – JUNE KANEKO + LUMINARIA
- 2018 – 40 YEARS OF LUMINARIA
- 2019 – WILD RISING BY CRACKING ART GLOWS
- 2020 – FIRST-EVER SILENT NIGHT
