Gardens Aglow At Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Each winter, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens transforms into a sparkling wonderland during its annual Gardens Aglow event. Thousands of glittering lights illuminate the gardens, casting a warm glow over the trees, paths, and sculptures. Visitors can stroll through the displays while sipping hot cocoa to get in the holiday spirit. Gardens Aglow is a great experience for all ages.

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About The Event

Each year, Gardens Aglow transforms the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens into a dazzling display of light and color. Thousands of LED lights illuminate trees, pathways, and sculptures. The event celebrates the beauty of the season with vibrant light installations, festive music, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere that captures the spirit of the holidays.

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Beyond the lights, Gardens Aglow offers a full holiday experience. Visitors can enjoy warm beverages, local treats, and opportunities for family photos throughout the beautifully decorated grounds. The event also supports the local community by drawing visitors to the Boothbay region during the winter months.

If you’re looking to go to the event, you will need to buy tickets beforehand online. You cannot buy them at the door. I’d recommend getting your tickets as early as possible because it’s not uncommon for nights to sell out, especially on weekends. It’s a very popular event.

Getting There

The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are located in Boothbay, Maine, which is just a short drive off of U.S. Route 1. You’ll likely take I-95 to I-295 to Route 1 north. From Route 1, you’ll turn on to Maine Route 27 towards Boothbay Harbor. As you get closer to town, you’ll see the signs for the gardens. There’s plenty of parking available on-site. After you park, you’ll head to the visitor center to check in. Then, you’ll enter the gardens.

Know Before You Go

I’ll be honest, this event is usually very busy. When I went, it was subzero temperatures and it was still a sold-out night. If you don’t love crowded places, this event might not be for you. There will be people everywhere. The botanical gardens are quite large, but they only have a small section of it open for this particular event.

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Due to the crowds, you will have to be very patient when trying to take pictures, especially if you’re looking to take pictures with the trolls. There really wasn’t any kind of line for people wanting to take pictures with the trolls. People just kept running to the troll as soon as people left. It was a bit hectic. And, it made photographing the troll on its own VERY difficult.

My Experience Going To The Event

The day I went was very cold, but we made the most of it! From the moment you enter the gardens, you’re greeted by tons of colorful lights. As you walk across the footbridge, you’ll see Roskva, the troll that is at the very beginning of the gardens.

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This troll in particular was the main reason why I had wanted to come to this event. I really wanted to capture it with the festive holiday lights. I’d seen many holiday photos of it before, but I wanted to go there to see it for myself and take my own photos. This was not my first time seeing the troll as I’d been to the gardens in August of 2023.

There were a ton of people around this troll wanting to take pictures with it. I had to be very patient to get a photo of the troll. I did a close crop of the troll’s face framed with the trees wrapped in lights while I waited to see if the crowds of people posing for pictures would slow down. Honestly if it wasn’t for the crowds, I’m not sure that I would have went for this composition, but I love how it came out.

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Eventually, I decided to stop waiting for the crowds to go away. I had my camera set up on a tripod and I just kept taking pictures as soon as a group would walk away from the troll. Eventually, after a lot of patience, I was able to get a picture of Roskva without any people in the shot. No photoshop needed to remove people!

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After I got the shot I wanted of Roskva, we wandered around checking out the other displays. There were so many different displays to check out. My favorite non-troll related light display was of a lighthouse. I spend a lot of time visiting lighthouses, so I’m not shocked that this particular display drew me in.

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After wandering around for a bit, we popped into the cafe to warm up a little bit. I got a hot cocoa. It was quite crowded inside the cafe, but this was likely because others were trying to escape the subzero temperatures. I was bundled up pretty well and it was still not super comfortable being outside. We didn’t stay in the cafe for long due to the crowds.

We finished off the visit by going to check out the second troll that was decorated for the event, Lilja. It’s a fairly short walk to the troll, but it’s definitely not as easily accessible as Roskva who is right by the entrance. But, it’s worth the walk!

Since this was the end of the night, I didn’t have as much patience to wait to get a nice straight on photo of this troll like I did with Roskva. I waited to get a quick snapshot from the side between groups taking photos with Lilja.

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While there are five trolls in total at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, only two are a part of this event. The others are a bit further and require walking in the woods on dark paths, so I’m not shocked they’re not a part of the event as well. It’s definitely worth visiting the gardens in the warmer months to see all five trolls.

How I Prepared For The Event

Let me just start by saying that it was insanely cold when I went. The trip I had planned was during a cold spell. To be honest, it gave me a lot of anxiety thinking about being outside in below freezing temperatures, but I already had the Airbnb booked and I really wanted to go to the event.

To prepare for the cold weather, I made sure that I had the essentials for keeping warm. Here’s what I packed with me for my trip:

• Balaclava. I have an irrational fear about my nose falling off from being too cold. The last thing I wanted to deal with during a festive holiday event was my face being in pain from the extreme cold. If you don’t love the idea of pulling a balaclava over your head, consider a large scarf you can wrap around your face or a winter neck gaiter. The main reason I prefer a balaclava is because I don’t have to worry about it sliding down my face.
• Gloves. I ended up wearing gloves made from alpaca fiber that I got at Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas. Many people prefer gloves that are touch screen friendly, but since I mainly use my camera for photos, that wasn’t necessary for me. My hands were plenty warm with the alpaca fiber gloves without being so thick that I couldn’t use my camera.
• Electric hand warmers. While I did have gloves that were sufficient, I brought electric hand warmers with me as well, just in case. I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, so I’m no stranger to doing everything possible to keep my poor hands warm.
• Fleece lined leggings. Fleece lined leggings are perfect for the colder months. My go-to fleece lined leggings are baleaf’s Women’s Fleece Lined Leggings. They’re water resistant and they have pockets, which I love. I also love that these are warm without feeling super bulky.
• Warm pair of boots. Nothing is worse than not being able to feel your toes when you’re out and about. I have a pair of UGG Adirondack III Boots. These winter boots have never failed me when it comes to keeping my feet warm.

Is This Event Going To?

This event is absolutely worth going to! However, if crowded events are not your thing, this event might not be for you. I’m personally not a fan of going to crowded places, but for me, this event was worth it just to be able to see the Thomas Dambo trolls with holiday lights around them. It was honestly the main reason why I went.

However, due to the crowds, I’m not sure that I would go to this event again. I got great pictures when I went and honestly, that’s enough for me! The photos of the trolls with the lights are some of my favorite holiday pictures that I’ve taken to date. Those alone made the trip worth it.

If you’re interested in seeing more of Thomas Dambo’s trolls, you can check out my guide on how to find the five trolls in Rhode Island. Visiting the trolls at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens got me hooked and I’ve been slowly trying to see as many as I can. Once you see them for yourself, you’ll understand why!