The Montreal Botanical Garden's Dazzling Light & Lantern Festival Starts This Weekend

Montreal's Botanical Garden will light up with lantern glow from September 2 to October 31. This year's theme is "An Ode to the Moon," which was seen in part last year but will have a new twist in the Chinese Garden.

For the festival's 30th anniversary, hundreds of lanterns will tell the legend of Pangu, a giant who created the world according to Chinese mythology. Keep an eye out for representations of mythical animals, like the azure dragon, vermilion bird, black tortoise and white tiger. An accompanying multimedia aquatic show on the Lac du Rêve will show off the lights like never before.

The Japanese Garden will celebrate seasonal changes with illuminations that highlight the plants, along with their structures and colours. Nearby, the First Nations Garden will take visitors on a walk through the circle of life with immersive light and sound shows that incorporate smoke.

By the Botanical Garden gates, you'll be invited to howl at the moon at the "Chœur de loup" (Wolf Choir) installation. The interactive tree projections track the moon's course and invite dialogue between humans and nature.

Tickets go for $16.50 if you're a Montreal resident and $22 for tourists. You'll need to book a date and time online to secure your visit. Your ticket grants access to the Botanical Garden during the day and night, so you can either come early and stick around or just arrive once the sun goes down.