2023 Night Lights Opens Soon
2023 Night Lights Opens Soon
Newest Season of Griffis Sculpture Park’s Evening Adventure Boasts New Additions
Photos / Griffis Sculpture Park
Summer is over, school is back in session, and the leaves are beginning to change color. Is it a little sad? Yes, but it doesn’t mean the fun has to end. It’s Fall!! That means Pumpkinville is opening, the Nightmare Hayrides are coming up, and Halloween (my favorite “Howliday”) is just around the corner. It also means the return of “Night Lights” at Griffis Sculpture Park, now going into its 11th year!
For those unfamiliar, Night Lights is an outdoor evening adventure unlike any other. A portion of the legendary park’s Mill Valley Road area is transformed into a vibrant landscape that invites guests to venture on a self-guided tour where the trails and sculptures interact with creative lighting. It’s a truly unique experience that producer Doug Sitler of SitlerHQ was happy to discuss.
Of course, we had to start our conversation by asking if there was anything new coming to this year’s event. “Night Lights has become an autumn tradition in Western New York. We are thrilled to welcome back visitors who return year after year,” said Sitler. “This Fall we are happy to bring new additions to the festivities. The event will feature more music and performances from local artists than in years past. A new snack bar area is being installed that will offer hot chocolate, coffee, pastries, etc.”
In addition, Sitler and his crew are working on some new lighting and trail improvements that will no doubt provide guests with an even better view of the nature-combined-with-art landscape. The entertainment doesn’t stop there.
“We will feature an array of LED hoopers, musicians and artists this year. Hoopers TranscenDance and Brandy Welch - Hooper Chick will be making return appearances. There will also be instrumentalists from local universities playing in the forests during Night Lights.” Sitler teased that they have few other entertainment surprises in the works.
The creativity and setup required for an event of this magnitude is a tall order that many may not realize, so we were curious to learn from Sitler what it takes to get Night Lights up and running. “Setting up Night Lights is a daunting task,” he said. “It takes 1.5 miles of power lines and two hundred LED light fixtures to illuminate the section of the park that hosts Night Lights. The whole process of building Night Lights takes about two weeks.”
Despite all the work that goes into the event’s creation, the goal is simple. “We want as many people as possible to come out to the Sculpture Park and experience it for themselves. Night Lights is a good way to showcase a part of our park and show people what we are all about. Hopefully, many of these folks will make a return visit or tell their family and friends about our wonderful park.”
This is an event you don’t want to miss! This year’s schedule is as follows:
Week 1: Friday, Sept. 8th through Saturday, Sept. 9th
Week 2: Thursday, Sept. 14th through Saturday, Sept. 16th
Week 3: Thursday, Sept. 21st through Saturday, Sept. 23rd
Week 4: Thursday, Sept. 28th through Saturday, Sept. 30th
Week 5: Thursday, Oct. 5th through Sunday, Oct. 8th
Week 6: Thursday, Oct. 12th through Saturday, Oct. 14th
Admission to Night Lights is $14 adults, $9 for children ages 7-12, and free for kids 6 and under. Ticket info can be found at EventBrite.com. Please note that Night Lights can be canceled due to heavy rain. Information about the park itself can be found at griffissculpturepark.com.
“If you love Griffis Sculpture Park, bringing your family and friends out to Night Lights is a great way to support the park and ensure that this park is enjoyed by future generations,” said Sitler. “We encourage visitors to make an evening of it; go shopping or have dinner in either Ellicottville or Springville before coming out to the Sculpture Park for Night Lights. It’s a great autumn adventure!”
