A Day in Photos: Lumina Borealis

*This post was sponsored by St. Lawrence Parks. They provided me admission to this attraction in order to facilitate this post. This post also contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my links I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. These commissions support my family and this blog.*

Lumina Borealis is an amazing immersive light experience on the grounds of Fort Henry. Held every December, this stunning display wows children and adults alike.

Have you visited Lumina Borealis? I had not until this year, but this event has been a seasonal treat for the last 3 Decembers! So many of my friends and family have had such positive things to say, I decided we should check it out for ourselves.

Like Fort Fright, the moat around the fort is where the magic happens. And what magic it is! I have seen so many promotional posts, tweets, FB shares etc. but I was still unprepared for the wonder that is Lumina Borealis.

Of course I took my camera. (Rarely do I go anywhere without it!) I used my new 17-55 2.8 fixed lens for maximum light in the dark. Catching the moving light shows is difficult, but I think I caught a few good images. (Be sure to click them to see the full shot.)

Despite being told the parking lot was full (we arrived at almost 6pm) the fort was not crowded. There was no line to get in – because I had pre-arranged my tickets there was no buying at the gate – and Lumina was not crowded at all.

There is a shuttle bus to take you from the bottom of Fort Henry hill up to the fort, so don’t worry if the lot is full. They are prepared for this 100%.

My kids never once complained of the cold, and while we did lose my husband for a bit (did I mention it’s quite dark?) we explored for almost an hour. They make mention of the walk being a bit rough underfoot, but we had no issues walking around the fort.

The interactive display inside the fort was amazing. You can toss balls at the wall – a huge light display that can sense where the balls hit – and fill up the snow meter. Once the meter is full, a light show begins. We spent enough time in this section that we saw the light show 3 times!

Though we hadn’t been to Lumina Borealis before, we loved the Winter Keepers! They are new this year and they enhance your visit by helping you engage with the magic of Lumina and get the most out of your visit. We engaged with most of them but I didn’t get good shots of them – it’s quite dark!

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This attraction is a go-at-your-own-pace walk. You can explore each section as long as you’d like, and all the Winter Keepers will pose for photos. They do suggest there is to be no flash photography but I noticed a fair number of folks using flashes to get decent shots of people in the dark! (None of my photos had the aid of a flash.)

The warming huts are a nice touch as well. I’m sure you know it’s always colder on Fort Henry hill, and the huts allow you to get out of the wind! (My kids hung out in them while I was trying to get some photos of the magic.) There are also fire pits through your walk – some are part of the interactive experience, and others are strictly for warming yourself.

Lumina Borealis is open every December through the first weekend of January (usually until the kids go back to school.) You can pre purchase your tickets, or try your luck at Fort Henry when you get there.

Be sure to dress warmly if you’re heading out to this one-of-a-kind light show. It’s always colder at the Fort! Full winter gear is strongly recommended as you’ll spend about 45 minutes discovering all the wonder of this attraction, and it’s all outside. (Except the gift shop which was much larger than I thought – once you’re in there, there is also a cafe and another room with some art on display!)

Head over to the website – it’s an interactive experience as well. You can read more about the attraction, and buy your tickets so you too can skip the line!

Have you been to Lumina Borealis? What did you think? From the reception it gets every year, I’m sure St Lawrence Parks Commission will continue to put on this amazing event for a few years to come. I have more photos on my FB page you can view (visit the Photos tab to find them.) I had fun capturing our moments there.

Thank you to the St Lawrence Parks Commission for providing me with complimentary tickets to this event. If you would like to have me visit your attraction or event contact me or visit my Work With Me page to learn more.

~Jess