Walk through the Bright Lights display at the Vanderbilt Museum
Santa greets guests from behind a plexiglass window at the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport. Credit: Redmax Events
The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum is set to host Bright Lights, an outdoor adventure where light displays and decorations will adorn the facility’s iconic mansion.
Themed displays and holiday lights have been affixed to the former 24-room Gold Coast estate-turned-museum and its surrounding grounds. The event will also include music and appearances from seasonal stars as "Santa" — as well as gingerbread men, reindeer, snowmen, elves and nutcrackers. Guests will have the ability to explore the entire setup.
"We were looking for a safe way to celebrate the winter holidays that would take advantage of the Vanderbilt Estate’s natural beauty," says Elizabeth Wayland-Morgan, the museum’s executive director. Wayland-Morgan adds that "Bright Lights" is "our first-ever winter-walk."
Food and craft vendors will also be in place and Santa will be available for photos from behind a plexiglass window. Wayland-Morgan says the event, a collaboration with the Redmax Events entertainment and event production company, is a "magical nighttime experience with wondrous colors and sights that are a perfect backdrop for family photos and social media posts."
INFO 180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport; 631-854-5579, vanderbiltmuseum.org. Tickets must be purchased in advance via the website; adults are $25, ages 2-11 are $15, kids under two are free. The program is being held 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 23, 27, 29 and 30.
