We want your visit to Cambridge Botanic Lights to be as easy and fun as possible! Here are some frequently asked questions about Cambridge Botanic Lights to help with your visit – we hope that you can find the answers to any questions below.
If you have a ticketing enquiry about booking tickets online or over the telephone please contact Cambridge Live Tickets direct. If you have a question about accessibility, please see our dedicated page for accessibility at Cambridge Botanic Lights.
General Questions
🏵️ Is photography allowed?
Personal photography is allowed but for commercial, professional or portrait photography you must seek permission in advance. For more information about photography in the Garden, please visit our Press & Photography page.
🏵️ Is the event accessible? Can I bring a pushchair/wheelchair?
Yes, you can bring a pushchair/wheelchair. The trail is solely on the Garden’s path network, which is mostly gravel.
🏵️ Can I bring my dog?
Only trained assistance dogs are permitted to visit the Garden, when supporting a disabled handler. We are unable to permit entry to the Garden to any other animal, whether carried or on a lead (including therapy animals).
🏵️ What should I do if I need first aid?
If you require medical support, please speak to a member of staff located around the route and at both ticket offices (in pink high visibility jackets) or a member of our Café staff, who will be able to contact St John Ambulance volunteers on site.
High Winds/Bad Weather Questions
🏵️ How will high winds or bad weather affect the Cambridge Botanic Lights event?
We monitor weather forecasts closely using professional meteorological services and follow our weather policy to ensure visitor and staff safety.
If wind conditions are deemed unsafe, the Garden will close. Unfortunately, this means the Cambridge Botanic Lights event that night will be cancelled (see below for further information on cancellation).
We will only close the Gardens in the event of high winds. Rain, sleet or snow will not typically result in closure unless conditions become extreme and compromise safety.
🏵️ How will I know if the event is likely to be cancelled?
If high winds are forecast, we will notify all ticket holders by email and SMS text around 3pm the day before the event to inform you of the potential for cancellation.
🏵️ When will I know if the event is definitely cancelled?
If the event is cancelled, we will notify you via email and SMS by 3pm on the day of the event.
If you do not receive a cancellation message, the event will proceed as planned. Please check your spam email box, if relying on email communication.
Updates will also be posted on the homepage of our website and social media (Facebook, Instagram, X).
🏵️ Can I get a refund for my tickets?
Yes, the face-value of your tickets will be refunded automatically by Cambridge Live into the account used for the original payment. Refunds may take up to 10 working days. You do not need to contact Cambridge Live or the Garden to initiate a refund in the event of cancellation. Please note: the booking fee is non-refundable.
🏵️ Can I rebook for another date?
Yes – you can rebook another date if tickets are available. The event will take place on selected evenings from Friday 28 November to Tuesday 23 December, there are 17 event nights.
🏵️ How do I rebook for another date?
Tickets can only be purchased online via Cambridge Live Tickets. Tickets cannot be purchased at the Garden’s ticket offices or over the phone with us. If tickets are still available for an event night, you can book for the event up until 4pm on that day you wish to attend.
Note: All ticket bookings and refunds are handled by Cambridge Live, not the Garden. Our The Garden offices are closed from 4:30pm daily and over the weekend and we are unable to respond to calls or emails during those hours.
🏵️ What if no slots are available on dates I can attend?
We are very sorry if the remaining dates or slots you can attend are sold out and you are unable to rebook. We hope you will consider joining us for next year’s event.
Thank you for supporting the Garden. We work hard to create special events like Cambridge Botanic Lights and really do appreciate your understanding in the event of cancellations due to safety concerns. While we do everything we can to plan and prepare, the weather is beyond our control, and the safety of our visitors and staff must always come first.
Ticket Questions
🏵️ When is the event?
The event will take place on selected evenings every Thursday to Sunday evening from Friday 28 November to Tuesday 23 December, there are 17 event nights.
Friday 28 November
Saturday 29 November
Sunday 30 November
Thursday 4 December
Friday 5 December
Saturday 6 December
Sunday 7 December
Thursday 11 December
Friday 12 December
Saturday 13 December
Sunday 14 December
Thursday 18 December
Friday 19 December
Saturday 20 December
Sunday 21 December
Monday 22 December
Tuesday 23 December
Tickets are available in timed entry slots, starting at 4.40pm, with the final entry slot of the day at 8pm (the entrance gates will be closed at 8.30pm).
Once you are in the Garden, you can take your time to explore the trail (as many times as you like) and leave whenever suits before the Garden closes. The Garden will start to close at 9.15pm and gates will shut at 9.30pm.
🏵️ Do I need to pre-book tickets?
Yes, you must pre-book tickets online via Cambridge Live Tickets as tickets cannot be purchased at the Garden ticket offices or over the phone with us.
🏵️ Where/when can I book tickets?
Tickets are on sale now via Cambridge Live Tickets. If tickets are still available, you can buy a ticket for the event until 4pm on that same day.
🏵️ Are there concession prices? Can I book a carer ticket?
Cheaper tickets are available for CUBG Friends, CU students and children. There are no other concessionary prices.
Carer tickets are free – there is no admission charge for the companion of a disabled visitor without whose assistance the disabled visitor would be unable to gain access to the Garden. Please note that there is one carer ticket available for each disabled visitor.
🏵️ Are there family/group discounts?
There is a 10% discount when purchasing 6 or more tickets.
Children 3 and under enjoy free entry to the trail, and tickets for children 4-15 years old are at a reduced price of £13.20 off peak, £15.40 peak (including booking fee).
Please note that all group tickets must be bought via the Cambridge Live Tickets page and are card payment only,
🏵️ How much are tickets?
There are peak and off peak ticket prices:
Standard Ticket Prices:
Adult: £23.65
Friend/CU student: £20.35
4-15 years of age: £15.40
3 and under: Free
Carer of a disabled person: Free
Off-Peak Ticket Prices:
Adult: £17.60
Friend/CU student: £15.84
4-15 years of age: £13.20
3 and under: Free
Carer of a disabled person: Free
Prices include ticket office booking fee.
10% discount when purchasing 6 or more tickets.
🏵️ Is there a Friends’ discount?
Yes, if you are a Friend of CUBG, tickets are a discounted price of £20.35 (peak) or £15.84 (off-peak) (including booking fee). Please have your Friends’ Membership Card with you to show, with your ticket, upon entrance to the Garden.
🏵️ Do Corporate Friends get a discount?
Yes, if a company is a member of the Garden’s Corporate Friends scheme, each employee of the company is eligible to purchase a Friends’ price tickets for themselves only. Employees must bring proof of employment with them when they attend the event.
🏵️ Is site re-entry allowed?
Re-entry will not be allowed once visitors have entered the Garden at their allocated time slot.
🏵️ Can we visit the Garden during the day with those tickets or do we have to pay separately?
Cambridge Botanic Light tickets do not include entry into the Garden during the day. If you choose to visit during the day, you will need to purchase a separate ticket for day entry, exit at 3.30pm when the Garden closes and re-enter at your selected time slot for Cambridge Botanic Lights.
🏵️ Refunds/Cancellation
Please note that this is an outdoor, winter event, so please dress for the weather! Refunds will only be issued if the Garden is closed for safety reasons and will exclude the booking fee. In the unfortunate case that the event does have to be cancelled, you will be contacted both by SMS and by email.
Trail Questions
🏵️ What happens if it is raining or snowing?
This is an outdoor, winter event, so please dress for the weather! Please do wrap up warm and be aware that some of our paths may be wet or slippery.
Refunds will only be issued if the Garden is closed for safety reasons and will exclude the booking fee. In the unfortunate case that the event does have to be cancelled, you will be contacted both by SMS and by email.
🏵️ What toilet facilities are available on site?
Visitor toilets are available behind the Glasshouse Range (including accessible toilet) and in the Cafe (including accessible toilet and baby change facilities). An accessible toilet is also situated near Brookside Ticket Office. During Cambridge Botanic Lights, there will also be temporary toilets situated close to the Station Road Ticket Office.
🏵️ How long is the trail i.e., how long to walk around?
The trail will take approximately 1 hour to walk around.
🏵️ Will there be food/drink available? Will the Café be open?
The Garden Café will be open, and hot drinks and snacks will also be available halfway around the trail to keep spirits high and warm up any chilly fingers!
🏵️ Will there be a Christmas Market/Stalls?
There will be hot drinks and snacks available halfway around the trail, and the Garden Café will be open, but there will not be a Christmas Market or any stalls. The Garden Shop will be open for any last minute Christmas gifts you may need to buy!
If you have any other enquiries that haven’t been covered by this FAQ about Cambridge Botanic Lights, please contact the CUBG Reception desk. Please note, this desk cannot make or amend ticket bookings.
