New Mexico BioPark Society’s 28th Annual
Presented by
TLC Plumbing Heating Cooling Electrical
We want to thank our 2025 River of Lights Sponsors
And a special thank you to our presenting sponsor and your Albuquerque plumber, TLC Plumbing Heating Cooling Electrical.
Helpful Tips for a Successful Visit
- Please stay on the paths. Plants grow by the inch and die by the foot, literally.
- To avoid crowds, visit River of Lights early in December and on weeknights (Monday – Thursday).
- Plan your visit early! As we approach December 25 and beyond, nights will sell out.
- Prepare for uneven paths. River of Lights journeys through various parts of the Botanic Garden, which include unpaved paths. Plan accordingly.
- Paths are ADA-accessible. Due to varying path surfaces and weather conditions, some assistance may be needed in certain areas.
- Leave your pets warm and at home.
- Take advantage of our FREE Park & Ride located at the ABQ BioPark Zoo. Scroll down for more info!
- Avoid the traffic when heading to Park & Ride. Take I-40 to 12th St. or I-25 to Lead Ave., then travel to the ABQ BioPark Zoo at 10th and Stover.
- There is no need to park in the neighborhood or pay for parking at other non-River of Lights businesses. The Botanic Garden parking lot and Park & Ride at the Zoo provide plenty of parking for all guests.
- Most guests will arrive for the timeslot at the top of each hour; if you wait about 20 minutes, the lines will be much shorter.
- For real-time event updates, Follow us on Facebook @riveroflightsabq and Instagram @riveroflights_abq.
Please Note: The River of Lights event includes flashing lights, strobe lights, and other special effects lighting, haze, fog, dark places, uneven terrains, and low overhangs. Please watch your step, stay alert, and do not act in harmful ways to yourself, others, the plants, and the exhibit.
Thank you for visiting New Mexico’s favorite and largest original walk-through holiday light show! Please respect our neighbors as you depart the event.
River of Lights Features
presents:
Low Sensory Nights
Dec. 1, 2025 and Jan. 2, 2026
River of Lights will offer two low-sensory nights that are created for our families and guests who would like a more inclusive, sensory-friendly experience. During these evenings, guests can experience the spectacular light displays that we are known for, but with modifications to make it a more sensory-supportive environment.
presents:
Santa’s Magical Experience
sponsored by Blake’s Lotaburger
Enjoy an enchanted VIP experience with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the elves of the North Pole for a “magical” evening of ho-ho-holiday merriment before being whisked away to the enchanting River of Lights!
The experience:
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Reserved parking at Tingley Beach
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Immersive Santa HQ experience and “magical” storytime
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Fun food and snacks
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Character experience: meet Santa Claus and take photos
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Commemorative keepsake from Santa for children
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Transportation from Tingley Beach to River of Lights, including return service
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Personally escorted by the jolly man himself to River of Lights with front-of-the-line entry
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Admission to River of Lights
presents:
Santa’s Beach Bash
sponsored by Blake’s Lotaburger
The holidays are over, and Santa Claus is trading his sleigh for some well-deserved vacation vibes. Join Santa in vacation mode, complete with Hawaiian shirts and leis, for a magical VIP evening of laid-back fun with cheerful elves before being whisked away to the enchanting River of Lights. As you enter Santa’s lei’d-back New Mexico headquarters, his elves will greet you with warm smiles and post-holiday cheer while Santa wraps up his final vacation checklist for the night.
The experience:
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Reserved parking at Tingley Beach
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Immersive Santa HQ experience and “magical” storytime
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Fun food and snacks
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Character experience: meet Santa Claus and take photos
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Commemorative “warm weathered” keepsake from Santa for children
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Transportation from Tingley Beach to River of Lights, including return service
-
Personally escorted by the jolly man himself to River of Lights with front-of-the-line entry
-
Admission to River of Lights
presents:
Elf Workshop
sponsored by Blake’s Lotaburger
The experience:
Get ready to channel your inner elf and dive into a winter wonderland of creativity! With cozy holiday tunes playing in the background, this is your chance to bring festive cheer to life with your unique creations. For ages 18+, the Elf Workshop will leave you with handcrafted memories and a little extra sparkle for the season. So roll up your sleeves, embrace the holiday spirit, and let’s craft some joy!
What is River of Lights?
Who We Are and What We Do.
Guests at River of Lights can walk through the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden and experience over 800 intricately designed and constructed sculptures, light displays, and millions of twinkle lights.
River of Lights was started in 1997 by the New Mexico BioPark Society (NMBPS), the 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports the ABQ BioPark Zoo, Aquarium, Botanic Garden, and Tingley Beach. In its inaugural year, River of Lights attracted 32,000 visitors with 30 rented light displays. Now, the event has grown to be New Mexico’s largest holiday light show, with an attendance of over 120,000 and raising over $1 million in 2022.
River of Lights is the New Mexico BioPark Society’s top annual fundraising event and New Mexico’s favorite and largest original walk-through holiday light show.
Creating River of Lights.
Preparing for River of Lights is a year-round job, and the event shines brighter every year. The New Mexico BioPark Society employs three full-time craftsmen. Before each holiday season, new sculptures and displays are created, more twinkle light strands are added, and old favorites are re-lit to give them new life.
Every sculpture in our River of Lights collection is hand-welded and strategically lit by our dedicated artists. They start with a small toy or concept, conceptualize it and transform it into a flat or 3D masterpiece. The team will then create a color scheme and carefully attach rope lights around each curve and corner of the sculpture. Not all of our sculptures are static displays. Some appear to be running, jumping, flying, and chomping – you can almost say our sculptures are living pieces of art!
Did You Know?
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We have over 700 light displays and animated sculptures ranging from a 1-foot flower to a 30-foot Brachiosaurus.
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To make a 1-foot sculpture takes an average of six hours, whereas the Brachiosaurus took nearly 600 hours.
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Setup starts in mid-September, and it takes a crew of 10 to place sculptures and twinkle light the Botanic Garden.
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All of our sculptures are stored in two giant warehouses and four storage containers.
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Many of our sculptures are created in pieces for easy installation and storage.
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You can see our first-ever hand-made sculpture – the flat panel saguaro cactus.
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You can search for our first-ever 3D sculpture – the yucca cactus.
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Our first T-Rex was modeled after a wind-up toy.
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We use over 100,000 zip ties annually to attach rope lights to our sculptures.
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There are over 200 miles of twinkle lights scattered through the Botanic Garden.
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Over 12 miles of extension cords are running electricity to all our sculptures and twinkle lights.
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River of Lights was a contestant on the ABC & Disney’s 2023 Season of The Great Christmas Light Fight.
Photo Gallery:
Contact Us
Thank you for your questions and feedback in advance.
Box office hours are available Monday – Saturday. You can fill out the form, and an associate will return your message within 48 hours (excluding Sundays). Please include your name, contact number, and your order confirmation number.
Special Note: Please be cautious of individuals selling fake tickets to this year’s event. Our event requires timed tickets; we strongly discourage you from purchasing third-party tickets as we cannot confirm the legitimacy of your purchase.
For media inquiries or photo usage requests, email marketing@bioparksociety.org.