Exploring Groningen: China Light Festival at Hortus Haren

The entrance to the China Light Festival at Hortus Haren

I've been taking advantage of my abundance of free time lately to explore new things in and around Groningen, from chamber music performances to urban gardens.  Last week, my explorations took me to the Hortus Haren Botanical Garden in Haren, which is a village just south of Groningen.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year (the 23rd of January), the Hortus Haren is currently decorated with fantastic light displays presented by the Groningen Confucius Institute. These displays can be viewed in the evenings through the 29th of January.

My husband and I visited Hortus Haren on a particularly cold evening, with temperatures hovering just above freezing. We were concerned that the cold weather would interfere with our ability to enjoy the outdoor light displays. However, after downing a couple of glasses of glühwein from a stand that was conveniently located within the botanical garden, we forgot about the cold and charged on through the wintery weather.  The result: an absolutely dazzling experience and a deeper appreciation for the detailed craftsmanship involved in the creation of light displays.

Here are my photographs of my favorite displays: