By Elizabeth Weaver
Intern
Airlie Gardens will become enchanted for the 11th consecutive year when the grounds are lit up for the holidays beginning this weekend.
“We are thrilled to host this again,” said Janine Powell, development director at Airlie Gardens.
Half of the trails in the gardens’ 67 acres are lit up with more than 750,000 twinkling, colorful Christmas lights for Enchanted Airlie. The one-half mile, self-guided walking tour also includes holiday displays. Powell said this outdoors walking experience is perfect for couples venturing out on date night, family outings and anyone from young to old looking for something festive to do over the holidays.
“We’ll have probably close to 50,000 people come to the gardens during Enchanted Airlie, so it’s a labor of love for all the staff,” Powell said. “We spend a full year planning and preparing and implementing Enchanted Airlie.”
The gardens have added more lights this year. Superheroes such as Batman and Spiderman (donated by The Wow Factor of Wilmington) will be in the main building, greeting guests and taking photos with fans.
Santa Claus will also be in attendance, waiting in a tent filled with hot chocolate, popcorn, and other refreshments.
Powell said walking through the whole event and stopping by the assorted tents should take about two hours.
Enchanted Airlie runs November 27-28, December 4-6, December 10-13, and December 16-22. Tickets are priced at $12 for singles, $17 for couples, and $27 for parties of three people or more. Admission is free for children 3 and under. No pets are allowed on the trails or left in vehicles.
The first weekend is sold out, and last year it sold out every night. Powell said Airlie Gardens has added three more days to the event this year. To purchase tickets, visit www.airliegardens.org.
