(CLEVELAND) October 16, 2025 – Year three of Northeast Ohio’s favorite indoor-outdoor winter tradition, Frost: An Ice-Capped Garden Experience at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, is just around the corner! Each season, the Botanical Garden transforms into a dazzling celebration of nature showcasing the magic of the season, inviting families and friends to return and make new memories together. With sparkling displays, festive activities and the warmth of the season woven throughout, Frost captures the timeless joy of winter in the Garden. 

FROST PHOTOS – COURTESY OF HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS 

Frost will open to the public on Saturday, November 22 at 10 a.m. and will run through Sunday, January 4. Nonmember adult tickets are $24 – $28, nonmember child tickets are $15 – $17, member adult tickets are $7 – $16, and member child tickets are $0 – $9. Advance online ticket purchase is required. Prices vary by day of the week and entry time. Tickets are on sale now at holdenfg.org. 

“Frost is back for year three with more lights, immersive seasonal displays, and family friendly activities than ever before! Expect classics like our gingerbread house competition and evergreen trees decorated by local garden clubs alongside all new photo ops and a magical tale intertwined throughout the gardens. This year’s Frost will not be one to miss!” – Ryan Sandy, associate director of guest experience. 

SHOW DETAILS: 

Frost will transform familiar spaces into a dazzling celebration of light, nature, and seasonal wonder. Journey through reimagined indoor and outdoor scenes, following the story of Verglas, the winter spirit, through the changing of the seasons. Verglas will greet you as you enter the Ellipse, along with shimmering displays of plants and lights at every turn. 

Raine & Shine, spirits of the wet and dry seasons, return to our glasshouse biomes celebrating winter in other parts of the world. Lights will guide people into the Spiny Desert of Madagascar and through the Costa Rica Cloud Forest, where they will be met with a captivating ring of waterfall lights.  

Family favorites abound, with Clark Hall offering extra seating and an expanded kids’ play zone, including an oversized slide, back by popular demand. 

Outdoors, the gardens sparkle with densely lit displays and plenty of photo opportunities including a light tunnel and a disco-lit Hershey Children’s Garden. Indoors, the Japanese Overlook will evoke the magic of a grand winter hall—an enchanting new setting for educational activities.  

Rounding out the journey with familiar favorites, the Garden Room delights with creative gingerbread houses, and Woodland Hall once again hosts a stunning display of decorated trees by our affiliate garden clubs. 

ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMMING 

Family-friendly activities, interactive displays, a storybook trail and marshmallow roasting in the evenings are just the beginning. Kids of all ages will be immersed in the joy and wonder of the winter season! 

The six-week experience will include a full calendar of solstice season educational activities and events. Special nighttime hours will be Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 9 p.m. Saturday evenings will feature live performances reflecting the holiday spirit. On Sundays, Frost will have special performances from 2 – 4 p.m. by a variety of local musicians. 

KRAMPUSNACHT, Saturday, December 6, 6 – 8:30 p.m. 

Krampusnacht is a folklore filled evening with Krampuses seeking out deviant attendees throughout the night. Attendees will encounter costumed Krampuses roaming through festively decorated indoor and outdoor gardens while shopping from local vendors and enjoying live music by Girl Cologne—all set within the enchanting atmosphere of Frost. Swing by the Garden Café for delicious food and drink specials available for purchase. Your ticket purchase to Krampusnacht, featuring the Ohio Krampus Society, supports RePlay for Kids. Price: $35 per nonmember, $20 per member. Advance registration is required. Krampusnacht Registration. 

STORYTIME WITH SANTA, Sundays, November 23 & 30, December 7 & 14, 10 a.m. – Noon 

Join us for a magical holiday event where Santa himself will read a festive story and take photos with each guest. While waiting for your table’s turn to capture a picture with Santa, enjoy crafting and fun holiday-themed activities. Light refreshments will be provided to keep the holiday spirit going. After the event, stay and experience Frost. Price: $25 per member adult, $20 per member child & $30 per nonmember adult, $25 per nonmember child. Storytime with Santa Registration. 

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA, Sunday, December 21, 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. seatings 

Join us for a magical breakfast experience! Look forward to a special visit from Santa himself as he stops by each table. You’ll have plenty of time to take photos with Santa after he’s made his rounds, ensuring everyone gets a memorable moment during each seating. Price: $60 per adult, $50 per child. Breakfast with Santa Registration. 

GINGERBREAD COMPETITION 
The Gingerbread Competition is entering its 19^th year and will have openings for approximately 100 gingerbread houses from local bakeries, families, and kids of all ages. Registration will remain open until the space is filled. Gingerbread drop-off is Monday, November 17 from 8 a.m. – noon. Gingerbread creations will be on display during the duration of Frost. Register by November 10 at holdenfg.org.  

INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES 

Stop by the Japanese Overlook for Plant Explorations, a series of hands-on activities designed especially for kids. Each day offers a different experience that blends creativity, learning and seasonal fun. Children can make dried orange decorations, craft a peppermint-scented candy cane, create a pinecone reindeer, or mix their own cinnamon mulling spices to take home. The cacao exploration invites kids to get up close with a real cacao pod and sample different types of chocolate. Activities rotate daily, giving families something new to explore with each visit. On Sundays, little ones can also gather for a cozy story time, making the season even more magical. Check holdenfg.org for the program schedule. 

NEWLY RENOVATED GARDEN CAFE WITH SPICE CATERING CO. 

The Garden Café reopens late November, with a brand-new experience from Spice Catering Co. Visitors can savor a regional and seasonal menu filled with fresh flavors and rotating drink specials made for Frost. The newly renovated café offers a cozy, inviting spot to relax, recharge, and enjoy delicious seasonal bites and beverages between Frost festivities. Check holdenfg.org for updates. 

ART ON DISPLAY –  

During the run of Frost, local artist Bonnie O App will have work featured in our Perennial Playspace’s Guren Gallery. Bonnie’s work showcases the delicate beauty and fragility of plants through intricate illustrations and cyanotype photograms. These works feature the rich blue colors of the cyanotype process and a classic illustration style that isolates the plants they represent in a frozen moment, fitting right into our celebration of the natural world through the lens of cold and ice. Bonnie’s work will be available for sale in the Garden Store. 

“Frost is an opportunity to celebrate the season in a unique way and make lasting winter memories with family and friends,” Sandy said. “We can’t wait to welcome you to another year of winter wonder and cheer.” 
 

Frost hours are Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. The Botanical Garden will be open on Sundays from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. except for Dec. 21 & 28 when Frost will be open from noon – 9 p.m. The Botanical Garden will be closed on Mondays except for Dec. 22 & Dec 29 when Frost will be open from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. The Botanical Garden is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Additionally, the Botanical Garden will close at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Please check holdenfg.org for updated information. 

About Cleveland Botanical Garden and Holden Forests & Gardens 

Cleveland Botanical Garden, located in Cleveland’s University Circle cultural district, is an ever-changing 10-acre urban oasis where visitors find enrichment and inspiration through fabulous gardens, an exotic Glasshouse, and seasonal events. The Cleveland Botanical Garden is part of Holden Forests & Gardens along with the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio. Holden Forests & Gardens is making an impact in Northeast Ohio through urban greening and forestry initiatives, environmental research, educational programs, and world-class visitor experiences at its two campuses. For more information, visit holdenfg.org. 

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