The last general admission entry at Denver Botanic Gardens today is 1 p.m. The same cutoff applies through Saturday, because the York Street grounds are being reset for Glow at the Gardens, which opens to ticket holders at 5:30. Next week the cutoff moves to 2 p.m. for four days of Ghosts in the Gardens. After that comes Blossoms of Light, which runs every evening except two from November 20 to January 10.
If you live a few blocks from 1007 York Street, the Gardens works on a different clock for the next twelve weeks. It earns its money after dark, by ticket only. Most of the daytime visit that's left happens before lunch.
The Calendar From Now to January 10
These are the evening programs still ahead this season, all at York Street.
| Event | Remaining dates | Hours | Adult / member price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glow at the Gardens | Oct. 22–24 | 5:30–9 p.m. | $37 / $34 |
| Ghosts in the Gardens | Oct. 28–30 | 4:30–10:30 p.m. | $34 / $29 |
| Ghosts in the Gardens | Oct. 31 | 4:30–9:15 p.m. | $34 / $29 |
| Night at the Museums | Nov. 7 | 5–10 p.m. | Free entry to the Freyer–Newman Center |
| Blossoms of Light | Nov. 20–Jan. 10, closed Nov. 26 and Dec. 25 | 4:30–9 p.m. | Prices not yet posted |
Glow at the Gardens has a new layout this year. The grounds are split into three color-coded paths that each run one way. You can walk them in any order, but you need all three to see the whole event. Tickets are sold in advance for a specific date and entry window, and there are no door sales. Seniors 65 and up pay $35, or $32 as members. Children 3 to 15 pay $29, or $27 as members, and kids 2 and under get in free. Some of the smaller Halloween programs are already over or sold out. Botanic Obscura on October 11 sold out, and so did Haunted History on October 2.
What an Early Close Takes Off the Afternoon
Each evening event costs the day visitor some hours. The Gardens counts these closing times from the last general admission entry, so a 1 p.m. close means you need to be through the gate by 1. The early close also covers the Freyer–Newman Center and the Mordecai Children's Garden, so the indoor galleries and the kids' garden end at the same time as the outdoor beds.
Here are the remaining shortened and closed days on the York Street early closings page:
- Oct. 22–24: last entry 1 p.m., for Glow
- Oct. 28–31: last entry 2 p.m., for Ghosts in the Gardens
- Nov. 26: closed
- Dec. 24: close at noon
- Dec. 25: closed
- Dec. 31: close at noon
- Jan. 1: closed
On those days, the inside of the Freyer–Newman Center is the part worth getting to early. Three shows opened there this fall, two of which the Denver Gazette covered as new fall exhibitions. The Gardens' general admission page lists the Freyer–Newman Center galleries among the areas included with admission. The Place of Flowers: Works by Daisy Patton runs through January 31. So does Curious Companions: Fungi, Parasites and Carnivores. Realm of Wonder: Izumi Yokoyama stays through February 7. Outside, the extension of Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism is up through spring 2027. The main Plensa exhibition ended September 7, so the sculptures still on the grounds are the outdoor extension, not the full show from this summer.
All four stay open after Blossoms closes on January 10. A morning visit on a weekday without an event is the easiest way to see them without watching the clock.
Blossoms of Light Is Decided in November
Blossoms runs for seven weeks, but the planning comes down to a few dates. Here's the order:
- Nov. 4, 5 and 6, 10 a.m.: member presales open.
- Monday, Nov. 9, 10 a.m.: public tickets go on sale.
- Nov. 20: the lights go on, 4:30 to 9 p.m. nightly, with the grounds cleared by 9:45.
Ticket prices for this year are still listed as TBA. Everyone over age 2 needs a ticket, and the Gardens says membership doesn't guarantee one. The Gardens says its website is the only authorized seller. There are no door sales. The Gardens expects most nights to sell out "several days or even weeks in advance." If your plans change, you can exchange your date for a $5 fee up to 72 hours before your entry time, if space is available. Members don't pay the fee. You don't need to change your ticket if you're running late, as long as you arrive within 30 minutes of the time printed on it.
For a quieter night, there's a Sensory-Friendly Night on Tuesday, December 1, from 5 to 8 p.m., with grounds cleared at 9. The Gardens' own FAQ also has a favorite kind of night. It suggests visiting after fresh snow for the best photos.
Two Days When Admission Costs Nothing
Two dates on this season's calendar are free. On Saturday, November 7, Night at the Museums runs from 5 to 10 p.m. with free admission to the Freyer–Newman Center. That's an evening visit to the three new exhibitions without paying.
The second is Friday, November 27, the only free day at York Street between October and December. You need a reservation in advance, and free days cover regular hours only, not ticketed events. Thanksgiving Day, November 26, is closed, and Blossoms opens the week before. That makes the 27th the one day this season when the daytime gardens are free and on a normal schedule, with the light displays already up.
The Curb Outside Your Door
On event nights, how busy the streets get depends on the parking structure. The free garage between York and Josephine streets has entrances on both streets, and the Gardens says it fills quickly during Glow and Blossoms. The early closings page notes that the City and County of Denver posts parking restrictions for these dates. The Blossoms of Light FAQ says that on streets where restrictions are posted, every parked vehicle needs a current residential parking permit, and that the Gardens isn't responsible for tickets or towing.
The permit system around the Gardens has changed recently. A flyer from Denver's Department of Transportation & Infrastructure described a 2024 Curbside Area Management Plan for the area. The plan removed restrictions from parts of 11th and 12th Avenues. It also turned the Botanic Gardens permit zone from a block zone, where a permit works only on your own block, into an area zone, where it works on any block marked for the Gardens. The city now lists that plan as completed. The parking map linked from the Blossoms page is still last season's, so check the signs posted on your block for this season's dates. The city's Curbside Area Management page has the plan details.
For guests coming from elsewhere in Denver, the Gardens points to RTD Route 24 on York and Josephine and Route 10 on 12th Avenue. There are bike racks at the main entrance on York Street.
After the Gates Close, 12th and Madison
When a Blossoms ticket is for 4:30, dinner comes afterward, and the nearest cluster of restaurants on Route 10's line is along 12th Avenue at Madison Street. That corner is one restaurant short this fall. Westword reported on September 17 that Briar Patch, at 1222 Madison Street, had closed permanently after 14 months. A sign on the door said the restaurant had "run out of runway."
Westword also traced the address's history. Before Briar Patch, Crêpes 'n Crêpes stayed 14 months there, and a second Billy's Inn stayed nine. TAG Burger Bar was the longest tenant, at more than ten years. The places around that storefront are still the reason to walk over. Westword listed Blue Pan Pizza next door, along with Sienna Wine, Bamboo Sushi, The French Press and a Little Man Ice Cream. Bamboo Sushi at 1160 Madison opened in 2025 and takes reservations through its location page, which helps on a Blossoms night when every table nearby fills at the same time.
Living a few blocks from the Gardens shapes the daily routine in Congress Park, from the dates that close the gates early to the parking signs on your street. Part of what we do at Linkow Baltimore Team is follow details like these block by block. If you've wondered how much that location adds to your home's value, Start with a Free Home Valuation and we'll walk through it with you.
