There is so much to pick and choose from this holiday season! That is a good thing, but you certainly cannot do everything! I am glad that my family chose to experience Light in the Forest at Cincinnati Nature Center. Many things set this event apart, but one is that you get to walk through the light display. This was a great way to get some energy out and get into the Christmas mood, too!
We were greeted at the check-in gate and prompted where to park. We parked in the green lot near the Visitors Center, which was conveniently marked with green lights; there are several parking areas that lead to the loop. You can easily finish where you started as you follow the convenient signage throughout the trail. There are also workers, a physical map, and even a QR code that accessed a map and descriptions to help lead the way. Needless to say, the walk is very well organized!
Our journey began at the Visitors Center. We walked through the lobby and glanced at some of the animals and then headed outside. On the backside of the Visitors Center was a holiday shop with lovely ornaments and festive decor for sale along with art to preview and live music at certain times.
After that, we headed on the path into the woods. My kids loved walking on the board walk over the pond. (My oldest even did cart wheels!) It was so bright and easy to see the path. The whole walk is stroller and wheel chair accessible, and flat! In addition to bright light displays, the Brave Berlin team that inspired Blink and Luminosity created several moving visual displays that sink perfectly with nature including an elk that reflected in the pond, visuals of leaves and insects projected on the trees and the water tower, owl eyes, mice running, a burning tree and a bright moon face was very eye-catching! At one point, there was a toasty fire pit to stop and warm up at. Be sure to dress warmly though, 90 percent of this event is outdoors!
As amazing as the lights were, it was my first time walking through the historic Krippendorf home, which was the summer home to the family and then in 1969 became the start of the Cincinnati Nature Center. It has hardwood throughout and has been well maintained. I loved learning more about the history of a place my family enjoys coming to!
This is a must-see amongst all of the holiday attractions. Light in the Forest runs December 1 – January 2, 2022, Wednesday – Sunday from 5 – 9 p.m., excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas. Pre-registration is required, which also assures it won’t be too crowded Register and learn more at cincynature.org.
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