Press Release
Making Spirits
Bright: Christmas 2003 at Kew Gardens
A winter wonderland of lights, music and family entertainment
For release Tuesday 2 September 2003
29 November 2003 - 4 January 2004
Closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day
•A magical landscape of lights, decorations and music
•Free late night opening with music, family entertainment and shopping
•Seasonal guided walks and festive food handling sessions
•Winter Exposed photographic exhibition
Visitors to Kew Gardens at Christmas time step into a magical world
of twinkling lights and festive decorations, a million miles away from
the frantic hustle and bustle elsewhere. The stunning winter landscape
is enlivened by berries and blooms and a snowy agricultural scene in
the Princess of Wales Conservatory provides a peaceful setting to contemplate
the season.
As dusk falls, the Gardens transform into a shimmering scene of coloured
illuminations. The Palm House is lit up against the dark sky, reflected
in the pond encircled with bright icicles and Christmas trees. The slender
branches of a willow tree glittering with 30,000 white lights drip delicately
over the water's surface. Along the historic Broad Walk, Kew's majestic
trees form dramatic silhouettes, their branches beautifully lit up from
below.
A Victorian carousel and mini train roundabout provide traditional family
entertainment throughout the festivities, joined by a steam traction
engine after Christmas offering leisurely rides along the Broad Walk.
At weekends, music from choirs, brass and harp bring musical cheer to
the Gardens and children can visit Father Christmas in his winter wooded
dell at White Peaks.
Christmas shopping, late night openings
- Friday & Saturday evenings in December up to Christmas (excluding
Sat 13 Dec)
- Friday 19 December includes Kew's annual CHRISTMAS CAROL EVENING
Escape from the stresses of high street shopping at Kew's two shops
packed full of imaginative and high quality gifts. Late night openings
offer the chance to shop amid the magical setting of the Gardens at
night. The Princess of Wales Conservatory opens for evening visits to
the atmospherically-lit tropical surroundings. Families can meet Father
Christmas in his winter wooded dell at White Peaks and enjoy the Victorian
carousel and mini train roundabout. The Orangery restaurant provides
an elegant setting for light refreshments and live music. On Friday
19 December from 6.45-7.45pm Kew's annual Christmas Carol Evening sets
Christmas spirits soaring, this year outside the stunning Orangery,
with brass ensemble and choir.
Late night opening is until 8.00pm with FREE ENTRY to the Gardens from
4.15pm via Victoria Gate and Main Gate only.
Festive food handling sessions
At weekends before Christmas, Kew's Volunteer Guides explore the incredible
variety of festive foods in free drop-in sessions at Museum No. 1. Visitors
can discover which fruits and nuts are traditionally associated with
Christmas in different countries and how they have been used in cookery
and decoration over the centuries.
Christmas tree walks
Bracing walks through the stunning winter landscape of Kew banish winter
gloom and invigorate both mind and body. At 12pm on Wednesdays and Sundays
before Christmas, free Christmas Tree Walks with Kew's Volunteer Guides
explore Kew's pinetum and the different types of trees used around the
world for decoration in the festive season.
Winter Exposed - a new photographic exhibition from UKlandscape
29 November 2003 - 30 January 2004
A new photographic exhibition from UKlandscape in Kew's exhibition venue
White Peaks, exploring the diversity of British landscape in winter.
The exhibition features works by Fay Godwin, Charlie Waite, Joe Cornish,
Andrea Jones, Heather Angel, Jean-Luc Chapin and Barry Thornton, among
40 UKlandscape contributors. The exhibition is sponsored by EPSON UK
Ltd.
AFTER CHRISTMAS
Story telling - Dreams in a Winter Landscape
These story-telling sessions weave enchanting tales of nature as the
Gardens sleep through the winter. The sessions are every afternoon after
Christmas until 4 January (except New Year's Day) at White Peaks.
Seasonal daily guided tours
From 26 December - 4 January, daily tours of the Gardens highlight winter
flowers and scented plants. The tours leave from the Guides' Desk at
Victoria Gate Visitor Centre at 11.00am and 2.00pm
Christmas tree recycling at Brentford Gate 29 Dec 2003
- 31 Jan 2004
There's free entry to the Gardens for visitors who bring their Christmas
trees for recycling. Brentford Gate entrance only, located from Kew's
car park off Kew Green.
Christmas late night opening to the Gardens with FREE entry is on 5,
6, 12, 19 & 20 December from 4.15pm to 8.00pm (entrance via Victoria
Gate and Main Gate only). The Gardens are closed Christmas Day and New
Year's Day.
Normal daytime admission is £7.50 for adults, £5.50 concessions.
Children of 16 and under are admitted free. The gardens close at 4.15pm
during December and January, with last admission at 3.45pm.
Kew's information line is 020 8332 5655 and the website is: www.kew.org
Further information and photographs: Hannah Rogers, Press Office, Tel
020 8332 5607 (press enquiries only, not for publication)
For further Press information please contact:
|
Kew: Public Relations Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5607/5619 |
Wakehurst Place: Public Relations Tel: +44 (0)1444 894018 |
